(Un)Wanted
by DAMNINEEDANAME
Summary: Edenia Serapaid, a witch in her final year at Hogwarts. Everything is okay. Until the Death Eaters take over and her blood status begins to become a threat. Draco Malfoy is viler than ever, friends escape, people disappear. And then there is this woman, Bellatrix Lestrange, with a remarkable ambition of becoming Edenia's worst nightmare. But Edenia won't give up. Who will succeed?
1. (Un)Wanted: Foreword

**Foreword to story: (Un)Wanted**

_AN: Hello people! Some of you may know me from my previous FF called "Forbidden" which is also online here, however, not finished. I felt like I needed to do something else, two ideas that have been roaming around in my head for ages but never given a try. So I'll actually upload on three stories here and then, all are different and you don't need to know any of them to understand the other. Just wanted to throw that out! Have fun and let me know what you think! _

Timeline: Starting Harry's 7th school year and on

Pairing: OCxBellatrix  
><span>Warnings:<span> Femmeslash, Non-con, violence, s/D

Rating: M

General Information: All the characters, aside from OC's, belong to J.K Rowling.

**Summary: **

Edenia Serapaid is a witch in her final year at Hogwarts. Everything is okay. Until the Death Eaters take over and her blood status as well as her decisions begin to become a threat. Draco Malfoy is viler than ever, friends escape, people disappear. And then there is this woman, Bellatrix Lestrange, with a remarkable ambition of becoming Edenia's worst nightmare. But Edenia won't give up. Who will succeed?


	2. Change

**Chapter 1: Change **

Edenia remembers. Remembers the last time she walked into the school and felt protected. She remembers the last time she giggled with her friends as they strolled around during the corridors at night and she remembers, very clearly so, how much fun she had whenever she entered the Slytherin's common room and everyone was pleased to see her.

Now she didn't feel protected anymore. Her friends are gone, some were killed, or so she read in _The_ _Daily Prophet_ and not even ten minutes have passed since her new year, her final year, at Hogwarts started but she could already feel the change that lingered in the air and filled it with danger the second she got on the train. Almost none of the Slytherins, however, were to blame but furthermore the new situation: Severus Snape's takeover of Dumbledore's position and the gossiping that included that matter and, of course, the black robes that walked into the school and didn't seem to vanish, Death Eaters?

Edenia was young and quite a looker, according to other students, but she never cared much about that. She was easy to get along with, funny and understanding but nowhere as rude as others would say she was, merely for the reason of being one of _them_. A Slytherin. Now, being a Slytherin didn't seem to be enough anymore at this school. And school was all she had left. Home? There was no such place. It has always been here, right here. At Hogwarts. The Muggle world, where the other half of her belongs, was extremely risky to enter with all the crimes that happened there due to "coincidences".

Edenia took a deep breath when she swept into the great hall, where the others stood in line, like books in a book shelf. She added herself next to a fellow Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, who didn't look at her at all when he stared on ahead like all the eyes did towards the vanishing point in the back of the hall. Towards a person.

"A new year begins, however…" Said an oily voice, calm, yet dyed with malice. It was Severus Snape.  
>"…It sure reached your awareness that certain things will end." He continued; dark eyes glanced around the whole hall that remained quiet as he began to take controlled steps through the crowd separated into four groups. The silence was almost unbearable, the voice of his shoes echoed along with him.<p>

"Some left, some will come. And you will _stay._" He cooed, turned around, his dark cloak flew up dramatically as he walked back but kept talking, adding more pace to his speech.

"From this day forth, none of you will ever leave Hogwarts again. Not for home, not for any other adventure. Being a Hogwarts student is, as for now, duty. Your parents have already been informed and the silliest of them will learn that keeping you away from here will be illegal and thus punished."

Gasping erupted.

Edenia glanced to the left and right. But she couldn't help herself but notice how jealous she was, for a single second, that anyone would worry for their sons and daughters but not for her. Her parents were gone, quite in fact, she didn't even get to know them but never made as much of a fuss about it as Harry Potter did, the boy who, according to some of the fellow Slytherins, was to blame for all the mess that happened in the magical world lately. She, however, never listened too much to what they said about him. They were okay. Didn't talk much but didn't hate each other. A quick glance up to Draco reminded her that not everyone shared the same tolerance towards Potter, so she kept to herself most of the times and was rather friendly with the other houses instead, that, surprisingly weren't less intolerant nor less tolerant towards Harry as the Slytherins were. Her train of thoughts was interrupted when Snape clapped, greeting a couple of new Professors with the action. A tall muscular man with a mean look stood next to a female version of himself, their arms crossed and lips curled into grins. Next to them was a woman dressed in black gowns, ferocious raven hair and deep black eyes. Her red lips didn't twitch for a second, merely her chin tilted up in the air as she let her eyes wander throughout the hall but she winked towards Edenia's direction. For a second, Edenia's heart stopped but she noticed how Draco reacted, he nudged his head up in a greeting motion and the corner of that woman's mouth formed into a halfway-smirk. Her heavy lidded eyes pierced right into Edenia's the next moment, her chin tilted up again, brows raised slightly but she adverted her gaze back to Severus Snape, for whom she had constant snorting in stock as he kept explaining about the things that would change.  
>The students were escorted back when the speech was over.<p>

"Finally! Been waiting for this! Them mudbloods getting what they deserve…" Exclaimed Crabbe, one of Draco's friends, as he fell onto the black leather couch and took up most of the room for himself, however, made room when Edenia walked in, too.

"Edenia! Come on over here!" He whistled but she kept quiet and sat down on a single leather chair. She crossed her arms and just shook her head in disbelief, wanting to say something but couldn't find the words.

"It's about time this school is getting cleaned…" Draco murmured as he reached out for a glass of water that he took from the silver table in front of them and sat down. Edenia threw him a nasty glance, her eyes were narrowed and she contemplated getting up but Draco would pull her back down again.

"Don't you turn your back on us!" He hissed as he put the glass back on the table with a loud thud, anger rose through his body. Goyle, who had joined them by now, cackled and looked at Crabbe.

"Why would I listen to your pureblood-bullshit?" Edenia glowered at the pale blonde with her arms still crossed when she managed to pull away from Draco. He huffed slightly and shook his head.

"It's not bullshit and you know it."  
>"Who are you trying to convince? Speak for yourself."<br>"I'm not trying to convince anybody! I thought as a Slytherin, it should be clear where your loyalties are!"  
>"My loyalty! Lies! Where! I am accepted for what I am, Malfoy!" Edenia spluttered out and gestured wildly with her arms, causing Draco to back away slightly.<p>

"Tsk…there are plenty of half-bloods. Look at Snape, he-"Mumbled Goyle and Draco nodded in agreement as he stood upright again.  
>"I. Don't. Care." Responded Edenia coldly when she decided that this discussion was pointless. She aimed on ahead but Draco seized her wrist once more to pull her back to his level, staring into her eyes deeply and for a long time. The common room was quiet, the atmosphere tense and even more so when he let go of Edenia, not taking his concentrated gaze off of her until she vanished into the girl's area. No, Draco wouldn't be gentle and coward no more.<p>

Things would change indeed.

The next morning was unpleasant as the day started. At the breakfast table, Edenia sat down a little off but Draco wouldn't agree to this. He merely grabbed his plate and shoved it to where she was, sat down and ate quietly but seemed slightly amused about this, much less than Edenia, who glanced at him unbelievingly.

"What is it…?" She asked and poked around her plate, not exactly eating anymore. He shrugged and ate bits and pieces, then asked back.  
>"I could ask you the same. What's with you and that behaviour? What kind of elf walked over you throughout the summer holidays, huh?"<br>Edenia put her fork down and inhaled deeply. She glanced over towards Severus Snape, who sat there in the middle of the chairs, next to the other Professors and the new ones that she didn't yet know.  
>"I was asking a question" Draco reminded her with an annoyed tone to his voice, his nostrils flared slightly as he turned his face away only to search for her eyes once more.<p>

"What kind of elf walked over me…?" Edenia repeated, breathing heavily, eyes concentrated on him. Her voice seemed to dry out, she shook her head.

"Cynthia, Esther…Robin! The Daily Prophet wrote that houses were set on fire by natural catastrophes, so said the muggle reporters, one of them drowned near a lake, they said, the other one fell down a cliff. Coincidences, said the Daily Prophet, coincidences they said in the muggle world…" She gritted her teeth and shook her head. Draco glanced at her but he didn't show the least bit of compassion.

"Coincidences happen. Sadly." Responded the blonde coolly as he sipped on his last bit of pumpkin juice, not looking at Edenia whose eyes almost fell out of her face, no words left to say. She merely got up and muttered a "see you in class…" as she stalked away from the great hall.

The classroom filled with students. One by one came in and Edenia couldn't help but wonder why there were so many. Nearly all of the seventh years must have been here by now, and indeed, the classroom reminded her of a hall rather than an actual room; auditorium-like.

She checked her schedule again and shrugged. Whoever Professor Lestrange would be, he or she would teach them Defence against the Dark Arts now.

Draco spotted Edenia a few seconds later and walked on over to her, whispering slightly into her ear.

"Don't want to escape from me, do you?"  
>"I'm not very talkative…" She sighed softly and hid her wrist under her hand. Draco's attention went there; he saw a slight hint of blue around the tender skin. Did he have such a firm grip yesterday evening? He looked at once more and for some strange reason, he liked it.<p>

His thoughts were interrupted when the lecture hall turned dead silent; there it was. All the heads spun towards the door that opened magically, a wand raised to close the door again with a loud thud. Click. Click. Click. Heels walked towards the very center of the room. That woman again. Edenia's eyes went to the curly hair, to the black dress. She saw her somewhere before, even before yesterday. But where? Starting to feel slightly uncomfortable, she huddled down into her seat a bit more and crossed her arms. Sheer danger radiated from the raven head below. Another person walked on inside. This time, a rather muscular man with dark hair and a short beard strode over to the woman who sat down a little in the distance. Edenia can't remember seeing him yesterday evening, in the great hall. Was the woman no Professor, as expected? Was she just there to watch?

"Up." Growled the man and almost on an instant, everyone shot up. Edenia took a few seconds more to understand but she was being pulled up by Draco anyway. Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other while Blaise, another friend of Draco, stared on ahead, then whispered to Draco.  
>"Is that her husband?"<br>"Yup."

"I'll not teach you to defend yourself against the Dark Arts. The Dark Arts will be your very tool." He cooed, almost as much as Snape did, just less oily but grumpier. His voice was raspier than Snape's and fuller, it vibrated throughout the whole hall. Edenia glanced around, the woman's gaze was plastered at Draco again and Edenia couldn't help but notice how nervous she got because of that. Couldn't she look somewhere else? What did Draco have to do with her anyways? She just had to ask.  
>"Draco, why is she looking over at us all the time?" Edenia whispered.<br>"Bellatrix? She's my aunt." He said and things started to make sense. Slowly. But surely.


	3. Fraternity

**Chapter 2:** **Fraternity**

It was definitely a funny way to see how things develop if you just let them. Without interference. Hogwarts has become living and dead proof all at the same time, or so Edenia thought.

Professor Lestrange's lesson turned out to be rather cruel. He walked around the students, glaring at them, not bothering to be likable. He kept his wand visible all the time, tapping it into the palm of his hand as though it was a baseball-bat while his wife Bellatrix Lestrange, as Edenia found out five minutes ago, lingered in the back of the room and didn't take her eyes off of Draco. None of them said a single word and the class carried on in this brutal way of choosing random students to demonstrate the Cruciatus curse. All students from all houses were picked, aside from one. Slytherin. None of the Slytherins were ever picked, not even asked to keep quiet when a couple of them broke out in sheer laughter at the misery of someone they despised. Crabbe and Goyle, especially, seemed to take great liking to the fact that other students were tortured. And Bellatrix Lestrange? She sat there, watched the victims in their anguish and even closed her eyes for a few seconds to intake the sounds, the momentum, the _atmosphere_ while another one was yet tortured once more.

Edenia's mouth gapped open. Somebody had to say something. Somebody had to do something. Neville Longbottom, a fellow comrade from Gryffindor, was chosen next. Students started to whisper, one of them pleaded him not to go there as Bellatrix's eyes widened greatly and the darkest of smirks Edenia has ever seen grew on the witch's face.

"Longbottom…here we meet again. Why won't we watch as you meet the same fate your stupid parents met?"  
>"You won't break me…!" He growled out - and Bellatrix's eyes dismissed the previous joy that grew in them only to replace it with sheer spite. She raised herself from the chair that she sat on; her husband retreated to the back of the room instead while everyone watched the predator gliding toward its prey.<br>"He'll get it" Muttered Draco and grinned. Crabbe fiddled around with his hands excitedly while the other Gryffindors looked at Neville with worry. He, however, stood his man and tried not to shiver, which was proven to be rather unsuccessful in front of Bellatrix Lestrange. He gulped, twitched lightly, squeezed his eyes shut when he saw how she pulled out her dark and bent wand, aimed it at him and he crashed down on an instant when her words hit everyone's ears.  
>"Crucio."<p>

How much she enjoyed it! How much she laughed, how often she eased the curse only to bring it back on him once more; how she loved to see him below her feet, withering in pain. But how less she expected the next thing to happen.

"STOP!" Edenia jumped up from her seat, shouting out to the curly haired witch. Bellatrix stopped Neville's torturing session, some people gasped, and then everyone was quiet again. Draco and Blaise looked up to Edenia with their eyes slightly widened.  
>"What are you doing!" Draco whispered, frantically looking back and forth as he pulled Edenia down again, forcing her to sit.<p>

"Well, well, well. A Slytherin standing up for a Gryffindor..." Bellatrix cheered sarcastically as she tilted her head to the side, one hand on her hip, the other clutching her wand tightly that she rested close to her mouth. She bit her bottom lip but turned towards to Neville, hovered him up with a nonverbal spell and threw him across the room over to his house, where Ginny and the others caught him.

The lesson was over. Many followed. And one non-scheduled would follow as well but Edenia didn't yet know of that.

"What was that?!" Hissed Draco as the others joined and sat next to Edenia in the Great Hall during dinner.  
>"First you rescue Longbottom, then you help Weaselbee's sister at Dueling and…and then you even dare help that crazy blond girl from Ravenclaw down in the corridor! And not to mention those mudbloods you pulled away from several Death Eaters…Do you even have a single clue what you are doing, Edenia? Do you?"<br>"The right thing. That's what I'm doing." She responded coldly as she nipped on her Green Tea.  
>"Tsk…the right thing. The right thing is doing what keeps you out of trouble." Blaise retorted, eating some of his salad while Crabbe and Goyle helped themselves to large pieces of pie, nodding at whatever Draco said.<p>

"You know. I'll just do what makes me sleep at night. And you can go on doing whatever makes you sleep at night. I don't force you to agree with me." Edenia said and Blaise glared. Draco wanted to answer but his friend was quicker.  
>"You have a rather big mouth for someone who's only a half-blood, you know?! While one side of you is entitled to do whatever you want, you better want to keep the other side out of <em>their<em> way. And that means…be quiet, enjoy the fact that you're in Slytherin and…do as expected from you!"  
>"So you're saying that watching people being tortured is definitely one of the things a Slytherin must do?"<br>"Well, you don't have to look at them! Look away, if you must. Look away. But keep your cute lips shut, will you?"  
>"No. No, I won't. Have a good night." Said Edenia and got up. Draco and Blaise stared at each other before their eyes followed Edenia when she left the Great Hall and wasn't to be seen until the early morning, until Professor Lestrange's class was up again. <p>

Draco was the first one to spot her, wanted to sit close to her but Edenia chose to sit next to Luna Lovegood instead. The classroom filled quite soon, nobody wanted to be late for these lessons as most of them knew they would regret it. Neville was missing but it was clear he was in the hospital wing, a fact that caused Bellatrix Lestrange to smirk once she seemed to realize. Edenia didn't regret anything, though. She ignored the glares that she received from across the room, Blaise and Draco shook their heads at her, mumbling things she couldn't understand but she saw their lips moving and she knew for sure that it had to be something invidious, judging by their narrowed eyes. It didn't take five more minutes until the next person was tortured, this time some guy from Hufflepuff that Edenia didn't know but she just couldn't understand why this had to happen.  
>"You're sick!" She shouted out at Professor Lestrange. He let the Hufflepuff drop down instantly; the poor guy ran back to his friends and fearfully watched his tormentor walking over to Edenia.<p>

"Have you not been taught to keep quiet?" Professor Lestrange hissed over to her, aiming his wand at the girl. She held up her hands slightly, startled for the moment, her mouth gapped open.  
>"I just-"<br>"I said QUIET." He growled again and took a stance. Draco grinned lowly but didn't say anything to help the situation at all. Instead, his smirk grew wider and wider when he saw how stressed Edenia grew to be at the fact that Professor Lestrange walked closer with heavy and loud footsteps.

"Do you need me to make it clearer for you to keep quiet during my lessons?" He asked with his low and grumpy voice and leaned forward to stare into Edenia's eyes deeply. She drew her body back, pressed her very self into the seat with the distance he leaned in and responded in a low but clearly audible tone.

"No." She stated but Blaise grinned as he suddenly said out loud.

"I think she needs you to make it clearer, Professor Lestrange."  
>Edenia's eyes widened as she stared up to Blaise, students started to protest but were silenced when Bellatrix got up symbolically, then sat back down.<p>

Edenia's eyes wandered to the witch, then back to Draco, Crabbe and Goyle who all kept trying to suppress themselves from exploding with laughter. She couldn't understand it. What had gotten into them?

"You know what, Zabini, I think you are right." Said Professor Lestrange and stepped backwards while he asked.  
>"What's your name, girl?"<br>"Edenia."  
>"Come on over here, Edenia. To the front. We want the class to <em>see<em> something."

Edenia gulped and got up, turned her head around to glare at Blaise who blew her a kiss and didn't stop grinning mischievously. Professor Lestrange looked over to his wife and she looked back as her lips ran along the tip of her wand playfully. Edenia noticed this but didn't keep her eyes there as it made her even more anxious. Bellatrix grinned and rested back, it seemed like she just wanted to enjoy the scene but instead, she pushed herself up from the chair and walked on over to the girl, forcing her chin up with the very tip of her wand as she asked.

"Well, Edenia. You are in Slytherin, correct?"  
>"Right…"<br>Bellatrix smirked even more and pursed her lips; her coarse voice rang in Edenia's ears.  
>"Then I won't be too harsh. Don't want our pretty Slytherins to be mistreated, do we?"<br>"A pretty Slytherin that stands up for mudbloods?" Shouted out Blaise and a bit of laughter erupted from where he and Draco were. Edenia couldn't believe her ears. Her eyes widened even more while those of Bellatrix narrowed slightly when she growled through gritted teeth; it was enough to light the dangerous fire burning in her and it all happened way too fast to stop it.

"You shall be no blood traitor! A lesson should do it…CRUCIO!"

Edenia's shrill screaming seemed to echo through the whole castle. Tears of agony streamed down her face when she struggled and kicked in her attempts to break free from the spell. Everything in her head started to turn and rotate by this point and she couldn't make out the moment when her body told her that it was enough and that she couldn't take it any longer. Slowly, her eyes rolled back and she was close to pass out but didn't. Instead, the curse was eased by Lestrange, leaving a broken girl on the ground. Edenia sat up and stared to the class. Bellatrix's husband aimed his wand towards the Gryffindors, daring them to do anything about it. Some of the other students had their heads turned away and hands folded over their eyes or mouths and some, like Draco and his friends, watched with great interest and no sign of regret. Sudden aggression took over her Edenia's body. She sprang to her feet and ran as fast as she could out of the classroom and all that was audible was Bellatrix's hysterical laughter when Edenia vanished from the scene.

She was devastated. How could they? What had gotten into Blaise and Draco – and the rest? What were they thinking? She ran downstairs into the dungeon, into the common room and cried bitterly as she moved towards the girl's dormitory. Could she dare trying to break free? No. She couldn't. It was impossible. She couldn't leave; she had to put up with it. If those people were only half as bad as they seemed to be, and this was her second day, they surely could be worse once they had a real reason. And she didn't want to give them a reason to hurt her friends in the muggle world. They mustn't find out.

Her tears dried on her rosy cheeks and her body cuddled down the comfortable bed. She needed the energy for the next class, in hope that potions with Professor Slughorn wouldn't be as bad. Luckily it turned out that it wasn't.

When the lessons for the day were over, Draco, the others and she had not spoken a single word. Quite in fact, she didn't talk to anyone today and didn't want to, especially as she sat down with the Ravenclaws in the Great Hall, hoping none of the Slytherins would spot here there. People have tried making conversations with her, a couple of people from the Gryffindor table even came over to ask how she was feeling but she just shook her head and forced a smile, not wanting to bother them while they had to bother enough fearing for Harry's life that was endangered. Pamphlets about him and muggle-baiting prospects were spread all around the school and here and there she could hear single screams coming from classrooms or areas she didn't even know existed. And so, the rest of the day went on, hiding and avoiding Draco and his gang. Of course this was only successful until the second she had entered the common room again late in the evening. The blonde was already there, sitting on the black leathery couch, waiting. He jumped up when Edenia walked on inside, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise stood to each direction, just in case she wanted to flee.

"What! What is it! What do you want? Why did you do that, Blaise, why?"  
>Blaise chuckled and shook his head, starting to play with Edenia's hair, twirling it around his fingers. Crabbe and Goyle merely grinned as they had their arms crossed, standing there like bodyguards. Draco kept quiet for a brief moment, inhaled deeply and shook his head when thick droplets of tears seemed to leak out of Edenia's eyes. Was everyone crazy? Out of their mind? Draco brushed his hand along her cheek gently while Blaise kept playing with her hair with that smirk painted on his face that couldn't have been washed off even if somebody tried.<p>

"Look, Edenia." Draco started all too nonchalantly before he continued.  
>"That's what you get. Turning your back on us, tsk…hanging out with the others all the time, ignoring us…feeling sorry for mudbloods… No fellow Slytherin turns their back on other Slytherins! Remember this, Edenia, remember. Or else, we will always be there to remember you. If you don't want to be one of us, you'll be treated like the others. Better keep it in that pretty head of yours…"<br>"Fraternity…!" Mumbled Goyle and Crabbe nodded; Blaise pulled Edenia to his face with a firm grip on her hair, repeating the last words.  
>"Fraternity."<p> 


	4. Terror

**Chapter 3: Terror**

If anything could describe Edenia's feelings the best, it would be inner disunity. She lay there in her bed all night long, unable to sleep. Blaise's words were swirling in her head, keeping her awake. Fraternity. Fraternity. Fraternity. Did someone have a clue how much that meant to a Slytherin? How ambitious they were to keep someone in their midst? Yes, it was easy for the others to judge Slytherins for their foul behavior sometimes. But they didn't know anything about the difficulties that occurred whenever one of them, like Edenia, tried something else, tried to leave one or the other tradition behind, tried another route. They didn't understand the pressure. And Edenia didn't understand the pressure until she became its very center.

Draco and his gang kept close to her for the next days. They hardly left her any room to breathe, she could barely walk to a restroom on her own without being stalked down by one of them. Most of the times it was Crabbe and Goyle who were lingering around somewhere, trying to be undetected but how could they ever go unnoticed? She was also quite sure who sent them after her, none other than Draco Malfoy of course. He grew rather cold towards her, didn't talk much and Edenia didn't ask for conversations. Blaise, on the other hand, threw her nasty looks whenever he could find the opportunity. He found them nearly anytime. Until Saturday came; weekend. The time for Edenia to not give a single damn about anyone and anything. She sat in the silent common room, not disturbed by a soul until Pansy walked inside, followed by one of _them_.

"What's gotten into you, Blaise?" Asked Pansy as she slumped down next to Edenia on the couch, a faint smirk marked her face. Edenia and Pansy didn't get along all too well; they highly ignored each other whenever they could, as they didn't want to display disagreement in front of the other houses.

"What do you mean?" He asked lowly, leaning back against the couch. His eyes were fixed on Pansy.  
>"You're all quiet, usually. You never wanted to hang out with anyone, not much, did you?"<br>"Well. Some things change." He said indifferently, glancing over towards Edenia, indicating something that she didn't care too much about to interpret correctly.

"You never had a high opinion of anyone. And now…you're so bent on keeping the Slytherins together." Pansy grinned even more but was distracted by the sound of a book closing next to her. Edenia stopped reading, seeming ready to get up again. She felt like this conversation could end somewhere between messed up and pointless.

"Now, now. Where are you going? Who allowed you to get up?" cooed Blaise.  
>"Excuse me?!" Edenia hissed. "Since when do I need permission?!"<br>"You'll see." He retorted and nudged his chin ahead for Edenia to turn around. She did and looked into Draco's eyes, then away again, wanted to go. Of course she was stopped. Draco downright pushed her; she fell backwards and landed on the couch with a bang. Gaspingly, she sat upright and noticed how Blaise and Draco hovered above her.

"You did it again, Edenia" growled Draco and pulled out his wand. The same action was imitated by his friend. Pansy, meanwhile, got out of the way but watched from afar.

"Did what?!"  
>"Avoided us! You've been avoiding us all week! All. Week. Doing the same stuff again and again… We thought we'd give you some time to adjust, thought you'd eventually learn it yourself but…"<br>"But nothing happened. You're more apathetic towards us than I used to be. During these times…Tsk, Edenia…only an idiot would do that…turn their back on us Slytherins, the only ones that are treated right here…" Said Blaise as he stroked down her hair with his wand. She shuddered and couldn't move; they had her locked down too firmly with their free hand.

"Draco!" Edenia growled out warningly. A couple of other Slytherins walked towards the noise and stood around the scene in a circle. About fifteen other students joined the event, all quite excited and interested.

"We should teach her a lesson!" shouted out a random student, followed by noise of agreement.

"Thinks she can go around protecting everyone! Putting shame on us!" Another one chimed in.

"Yeah show her, Draco! Show she can't do this! Show she can't ignore us!" Crabbe and Goyle clapped and cheered, throwing their fists up motivationally.

"Hmm…" Draco thought out loud theatrically and stared into Edenia's insecure eyes deeply. His lips twitched slightly as he declared.  
>"Consider yourself warned…for the last time." He let go of her, Blaise and the others seemed disappointed when Draco turned around and left. Edenia just stared after him, not able to say a single word or even leave out a sound of whatever she may be thinking at the moment. Blaise looked down at her, raised a single eyebrow and walked off after his friend. He would make sure that she did what they expected.<p>

Edenia got up with the same speed that her mind needed to understand; slowly. The other students left the common room and she decided to go into the library to get a free head. And at least there nobody expected her to talk; quite in fact, people expected her to be quiet.

As she started walking out, it didn't take ten seconds until she was sure somebody followed her. Judging by the sounds of the footsteps, it must've been someone heavy. She guessed it was Crabbe coming along and she acted as though she didn't care about it until she walked into the library and picked a random book about _"Advanced Dark Arts",_ sat down and started to read.

"Why Crabbe, this must be the first time you enter a library." Edenia teased behind her book, then glanced towards the bookshelf that showed at least one third of a person standing next to it. He didn't respond at first, probably read the book's headline, but walked around the shelf and sat down in front of her.

"Ya know, Draco only wants to watch out, 'es worried 'bout you."  
>"Fun fact! You guys are the ones worrying me the most."<br>"Me?"  
>"All of you!"<br>"Why?"  
>Edenia sighed. That stupid pile of stupidity. She couldn't concentrate and read a book like that! No, she got up and put it away, starting to walk off and Crabbe followed as though he was her very shadow. Annoyed to the maximum she turned around suddenly, causing him to crash against her a bit, and yelled.<p>

"STOP FOLLOWING ME!"

"THEN LISTEN TO US!" He yelled back and Edenia's fists started to clench in anger but she was able to calm herself when a person with black robes stormed towards their direction. A white mask covered his face and he asked in a demanding tone.

"Is there a problem?"  
>"No, Sir." Replied Crabbe on an instant and Edenia watched the black robe march off and away, firing off random spells at students from other houses. Edenia watched with worry as somebody else stood right next to her. She flinched and backed away against something solid when she stared into pale blue eyes and distinctive blond hair. Draco smirked slightly when he saw that, rested his arm next to her head while her back was pressed against the wall. He leaned in to whisper.<p>

"A tad jumpy, aren't you? There's nothing to worry about…as long as you do as we say…unless you want to be treated like them…" He pointed ahead with his eyes; another student crashed onto the floor and cried bitterly when a spell hit them. Edenia glared.  
>"You disgust me." She uttered through gritted teeth and that's when she heard a loud noise before her cheek felt some pain; taking time to inform her brain that Draco slapped her across the face. Bewildered and surprised, he stared into her eyes and to his hand, back and forth as did Edenia. Both of them couldn't believe what just happened and the next thing that Draco saw is how she ripped away from him only to run elsewhere. His eyes met Crabbe's, who shrugged as though he thought that it couldn't have been helped. But there was something in Draco's eyes that Edenia couldn't determine. It was a mixture of regret and pride, of surprise and awareness, of right and wrong. She ran right into the common room as fast as she could, determined to leave Hogwarts behind for good. Stumbling head over heels, she reached the girl's dormitory, not caring whose eyes were following her or not, she would definitely use her wand this time if she had to. And she didn't want to – unlike them she never wanted to use her wand on a student; on another Slytherin. But if it couldn't be helped, it couldn't be helped.<p>

"Leaving us, sweetie?" Asked a girl next to Edenia's bed. Pansy Parkinson stood there with crossed arms.  
>"Leave. Me. Alone." Edenia hissed; her teeth were still gritted as she threw her stuff into a large suitcase. Pansy laughed and nodded and indeed, she left the room. Edenia needed five more minutes to stuff everything into her bags before she proceeded out of the door and hastily grabbed her jacket. What came next should've been expected but she tried to make it seem as though it wasn't true.<p>

"Going somewhere, Edenia?" A well know voice asked. It wasn't Draco. It wasn't Blaise. It was a woman. It wasn't Pansy. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. Someone must've informed her!

"I…I…" She started but Draco and Blaise had their arms crossed. They weren't amused and neither was Edenia.  
>"Come here. No, right here. Closer…" Spoke Lestrange cheerfully, opening an arm and waving the girl by with her hand. Edenia gulped slightly but walked on over to the dark witch who forced her down the couch, sitting right next to her. Close.<p>

"I believe we should have a… conversation…" Purred the curly haired woman as tea filled up in a cup magically. She offered one to Edenia and had a second cup herself. The girl, however, held the porcelain in her hands nervously; the tea was shaking in it while she constantly tried to avoid direct eye contact.  
>"Parkinson. Put the suitcase back. I doubt anyone is leaving this common room tonight." Declared Bellatrix dominantly as she kept looking at Edenia's face, not taking her gaze off of her. Pansy did as she had been told, while Blaise and Draco were sent away. Both, Bellatrix and Edenia were alone now. The girl felt beyond nervous, no! She didn't want to be alone with that woman, so close to her, feeling her, smelling her. The danger radiated from her black aura and Edenia couldn't control her heartbeat that was speeding up.<p>

"Girl, do you know how rough life can be?"  
>Edenia didn't answer. She sipped on her cup of tea to avoid saying anything.<p>

"Do you know what happens to rotten twigs on a tree?"  
>Again, Edenia decided to keep quiet.<br>"They are being cut off…so they cannot endanger the healthy."

Silence.

"You don't want to be...such a rotten twig, do you?"  
>Silence.<p>

"I asked _do you_?"

"What if the tree's roots are rotten and not the twigs?" Edenia asked, the first time she made direct eye contact with Bellatrix, whose lids narrowed greatly at this point.

"Then the roots became rotten because of their surrounding…" she responded arrogantly and Edenia mumbled something about how all trees could live in a better place if there was a brave person to place them all somewhere else instead; but Bellatrix didn't quite catch onto that because Edenia spoke in a drowsy voice.

The next thing she remembered was the softness of pillows and the warmth of a bed. Edenia's eyes opened and she stared around the room. It was early in the morning – it was Sunday. Someone must've put her into the dormitory sometime. She sat up, rubbed her eyes and gasped when she looked into a mirror. She looked terrible; the stress showed. Recalling yesterday evening, she realized that somehow that conversation with Bellatrix Lestrange was far worse than Draco's slap. It got into her very core. Those black eyes. Her dominant voice. The calm way of being out of her mind.

"Good morning." Said Draco as Edenia stepped into the common room. Edenia granted him a harsh glare and further ignored him before she eventually rubbed a hand through her hair and proceeded out of the door. From the corner of her eye, she noticed how Draco nudged his chin ahead and a dark figure followed. It must be Blaise's turn to keep watch. He followed her all the way upstairs into the Great Hall where he saw her sitting next to Luna and Ginny. Obviously pissed off by this, he sat down on the other side of the table; staring at her all the while she tried eating her fruit salad.

"Why is he here?" Asked Ginny.  
>"Don't know. Ask him." Responded Edenia coolly.<br>"Why are you here, Blaise?" Ginny tried with an amused tone to her voice.  
>"To prevent her from becoming a blood-traitor like you." He retorted and nibbled on some grapes in boredom.<p>

"So staring at students prevents them from doing such things?" Asked Luna half obliviously and half sarcastically while Blaise's dark eyes narrowed down to her light ones.  
>"Keep out of my business, bunny."<br>"You're at our table." Said Ginny with a halfway smirk and Edenia nodded.  
>"She's got a point. You're at <em>our<em> table."  
>Though then, Blaise suddenly rushed up and slapped the silver bowl of grapes away; it crashed against several cups and pumpkin juice spilled all over, people gasped and Blaise's hand reached to Edenia's collar, pulling her to his level from across the table. She coughed and tried to wiggle free, others tried to help while he yelled furiously.<br>"YOU DON'T PLAY WITH ME LIKE THAT!" but he let go of her when he noticed how his temper got the best of him. Edenia rubbed her throat gently, still coughing while Luna and Ginny tried to calm her down. And suddenly everything went so fast, barely visible, Blaise had to shield himself from a spell that was deflected at him from further away from the Gryffindor table. Neville Longbottom got up his feet and fired spells at Blaise, Edenia yelled and told him to stop but he wouldn't listen. Several Death Eaters marched up and forced Neville down with a single spark from their wand; he was alive but didn't move. From over the distance, Edenia could see Bellatrix Lestrange walking up, her eyes were narrowed and she didn't seem as nice as yesterday evening. Instead, she threw another Cruciatus curse at Neville who screamed and shouted, his eyes got all teary but he didn't cry. Edenia ran around the scene, back and forth, pulled on Bellatrix's arm to make her let go but she just laughed crazily while enjoying both Edenia's and Neville's misery.

"You see what happens, standing up for unworthy friends?!" She yelled at Edenia and forced Neville up with her wand only to make him crash against the Slytherin table this time. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting there, watching and laughing but their eyes twinkled with joy when Bellatrix told them to perform the Cruciatus curse on Neville, to show everyone what they had learned so far.

Edenia sprang up and dashed towards them, stood in front of Neville while she screamed.  
>"STOP! STOP THIS IDOCY! HE'S ONE OF US! HE'S HUMAN!" She yelled but the hall filled with laughter, mainly the Professors and parts of the Slytherins seemed amused.<br>"Human? He's barely a wizard!" Shouted out Bellatrix as she walked up to Edenia and pulled her closer, hugging her tightly out of a sudden. She used this position to whisper into the girl's ear. "Enough. I was charitable as it was…enough." And Edenia could clearly tell how badly Bellatrix had to restrain herself from hurting the girl, her nails dug into the tender flesh but she let go and pushed her over towards Blaise. He caught Edenia and nodded at Bellatrix as she seemed to motion him to get going – and they did. He dragged her down and away, eyes followed her but Edenia didn't get to scream or say anything once she noticed that Bellatrix was following but she saw how Crabbe and Goyle fought of several students to prevent them from following. Blaise hoisted her over his shoulder as he walked downstairs and vanished into the Slytherin's common room in which Crabbe and Goyle have also found their way a bit later. Draco still sat on the couch; his attention went to Edenia when she was forced onto the round and large table right in the middle of the room. Bellatrix laughed and used a binding curse to keep the girl fixated on the surface, not caring about her whimpering and crying.

"Honey. It's all your fault. You could've kept quiet, could've listened…" Cooed Bellatrix as she played with Edenia's hair a little and kissed her forehead, leaving an imprint of her red lipstick behind but this sure wasn't going to be the only imprint left on Edenia.

"Now…let's teach her another lesson. One of my kind…" Declared the dark witch and asked.  
>"Who of you would like to show Edenia that a Slytherin won't be pushed away?"<p>

Crabbe and Goyle ran up to Bellatrix on an instant but the latter winkled her nose slightly and shook her head, then grinned when she noticed how badly Edenia began to cry at this point. What did she plan? No! She couldn't let the guys touch her, here in front of everyone, because of that, no, no, no! She couldn't do that, could she? She could! But she wouldn't do that, would she? Her breathing began to turn into an unsteady mixture of coughing and panting as she sobbed and turned her face away to the left and right. Bellatrix laughed even more at her student's misery, and then motioned Draco to come closer. He did, not daring to disobey.

Edenia wondered, by now, Bellatrix surely found out that Edenia was only a half-blood. A half-blood, not as filthy as a muggle, was enough to test things on. Draco cleared his throat and looked away, saying. "Zabini. Maybe you'd like to…you've been fantasizing about it lately."

And Blaise smirked deviously. Now he could repay Edenia for treating him like an idiot. He walked on over towards the table and that's when Edenia began to scream as loud as her lungs allowed.  
>"NO! NO! DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME YOU FILTHY PIECE OF-!" Though another slap echoed through the common room. Crabbe and Goyle laughed when they saw how he shut her up with that, only to lace his fingers into her hair, pulling on it tightly, rustling and ripping it until she would look into his eyes.<br>"I told you…you don't play with me like that…" And he forced her into a passionate kiss, keeping his eyes opened all the time, yet narrowed. Bellatrix Lestrange watched with her arms crossed, her head tilted down to the side a little, constantly biting her bottom lip in delight; then interrupted the little session when she thought it was enough.

She pulled Blaise away from Edenia with her wand before he would've gone any further, walked over to the girl, caressed her cheek with one hand and stared into her broken eyes.  
>"Don't become one of those twigs…"<p>

The next morning, Edenia sat where she belonged. At the Slytherin's table.


	5. Crucio

**Chapter 4: Crucio **

When Hogwarts started its last year for Edenia, she was determined to protest against anything that she thought was wrong. By the end of the week she knew all the protesting was nothing but self-destruction. When Monday's next course continued, she made sure to sit next to Blaise in a stiff composure during class; just like she did the classes before. She was scared and the others seemed to smell it, constantly using advantage of their newly gained control over her.

"Well…" Blaise stretched out and casually wrapped his arm around Edenia's shoulder. She didn't respond to it, kept sitting there but her eyes wandered over to Ginny, who threw her a sympathetic glance and seemed to sigh heavily. Blaise pulled Edenia's chin back once he noticed who she was having this nonverbal conversation with, wanted to say something but kept quiet and took his arm away when Draco sat down, too.

"Where were you? During lunch?" The blonde asked suspiciously and she shrugged.

"I wasn't hungry."  
>Draco and Blaise stared into each other's eyes when she said that but didn't further comment on it. Professor Slughorn entered the classroom with a gentle smile, yet Edenia couldn't shake off the feeling that it was forced like everything else was forced in this school.<p>

"Good afternoon, students. Please take out your books and go to page 46." He said and everyone did so. Almost everyone. Edenia wanted to, but noticed how Draco pulled away her book and opened it for her instead. Quite confused, she couldn't determine whether he did this because he felt like he needed to be nice or, and that was the answer she leaned towards to a lot more, because he wanted to be the one in control over her; even with the smallest of things like opening a book. Inhaling deeply, she brushed it off and started to read the ingredients for the Blood-Replenishing Potion before getting started. Edenia was quite concentrated during the first third of the class, wanting to succeed in brewing the potion as she thought it could become useful one of these days. Professor Slughorn seemed to think the same as he gave great assistance to anyone that seemed stuck at some point. When Edenia was almost done and waited on the potion to be ready, she noticed that Professor Slughorn walked on over towards a woman. She couldn't believe her eyes. Bellatrix Lestrange stood there in front of the class and held her wand in her hand as always. Once she spotted Edenia, a smirk started to grow on her lips and she walked closer to the cauldron, looking inside.

"Looks good. Seems like you decided to be a proper witch again…" She muttered sarcastically. Edenia stared into her eyes but didn't say a word. Instead, she walked over to the back of the room, acting as though she wanted to ask Professor Slughorn something while in fact, all she wanted was to get away from the evil witch that locked Draco in a conversation.

"How can I help you, Miss Serapaid?" Asked Professor Slughorn, a bit confused since he wasn't let in Edenia's plan.

"It's…I…I was just wondering…if…uhm…If I did the potion right?" She asked timidly, trying to make up a random question. He raised his eyebrows slightly but shrugged and walked on over to her cauldron to check it once more before he nodded.  
>"I don't know why it wouldn't be okay? I checked it a minute ago and it was perfect. Unless you didn't add anything else…the potion is excellent" He said in a confused tone while he walked off again. Bellatrix and Draco both raised an eyebrow but Edenia was sure the dark witch sort of got behind the fact that Edenia was just trying to avoid her. Stricken with amusement, she walked right behind the girl and remained there for a while. It drove Edenia crazy to know that Bellatrix was watching but she didn't have the least bit of control of what was going on behind her back. When the lesson was over, Edenia instinctively jumped up to leave but remembered that it wasn't that easy and it would probably be never that easy again. So she swallowed down her pride before she quietly walked away with Draco and Blaise.<p>

"Where are we going?" Asked Goyle who caught up followed by Crabbe.

"To Hogsmeade." Answered Draco but Edenia frowned.  
>"I thought students aren't allowed to leave the grounds anymore?"<br>"The _others_ aren't allowed to. Slytherins can go wherever they want. They're trusted." Responded Blaise and Edenia sighed.  
>"Well…I wanted to go into the library." She said, not wanting to ask their permission but then again, she didn't want to simply walk off on them again as she feared it could lead to regretting it later on.<p>

"What are you going to the library for all the time?" Mumbled Crabbe who crossed his arms, clearly emphasizing the fact that he had no business with books at all.

"I wanted to research on some things for my divination essay…" She lied but Draco stopped walking and so did everyone.  
>"Correct me. But I thought I said…we are going to Hogsmeade..." He stared at her intensively and Edenia's lower eyelids twitched for the split of a second before she muttered.<p>

"…I suppose…I can get to the library on a later date."

Draco seemed content and proceeded his way. They didn't talk at all until they arrived at the infamous _Three Broomsticks_ pub, sat down and waited to be served their Butterbeers.

"Any news?" Asked Blaise who sat next to Edenia but looked at Draco in front of him while Crabbe and Goyle were at the table's ends. Draco glanced to the left and right before he leaned in and said quietly.  
>"Said he's out somewhere, probably in the muggle world, I'd think…Or with Weaslebee's family…and the mudblood of course, she's with them too…"<br>"Well…I guess we could tickle that ugly redhead with the Cruciatus curse a little...then we'd know about their whereabouts…and pass on the information." Answered Blaise but he was interrupted when Edenia gasped.

"You'll not hurt Ginny!" She hissed with contorted eyebrows.

"Or else what?" Mumbled Blaise daringly but Edenia just narrowed her eyes at him.  
>"Don't sink so low, guys! Nobody is forcing you to sell them to the Dark Lord!"<br>Draco huffed and shook his head.  
>"What do you even know…? My family is under the greatest pressure…if we hand him over to the Dark Lord…things will be okay again…"<br>"They suffer because they chose to follow him…" Grumbled Edenia and Draco glared but didn't respond because the Butterbeers were served. Everyone kept quiet while having their first sips and Edenia's face turned to the window that let in the orange tinged light of the sunset. What a beautiful place this could be.

Could.

"Where was Professor Lestrange anyway? Why was his lesson cancelled today?" She asked suddenly and Draco glanced at Blaise, then to her again.  
>"A couple of Death Eaters went after Potter last night and during that, Rodolphus got hit. Bellatrix said it was Tonks but we don't know for sure…" He explained.<br>"Is…he dead?" Edenia asked once more.  
>"Rodolphus? Nah…just injured and he won't be able to teach for a while. I guess my aunt will be taking over."<p>

Bad news. Edenia coughed a little and Goyle had to pat her back but that just caused her to cough even more as he wasn't necessarily gentle.

When Edenia was cuddled in her bed that night, she kept thinking about how to get out of this mess. Not a single thing made sense to her. Nothing enlightened her mind.

"Are you asleep?" Asked a voice from behind. Edenia sighed and turned around to Pansy.  
>"No. What is it?"<br>"I'm sure you know quite what. What is it?! What is it with you and Draco?"  
>"What do you think it is?"<br>"You two are kind of close…too close. He kept pushing me away and didn't want me around. And I see how he looks at you! Don't act innocent, Edenia!"  
>" …You know, Pansy. I wouldn't pick Draco even if he was the last man alive. He's all yours. Aren't you two dating anyway?"<br>"He broke up with me yesterday…" Said Pansy and sat up the bed. Edenia frowned.  
>"Sorry to hear. Why?"<br>Pansy shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sure it has something to do with you, though." She narrowed her eyes and lay down, bitterly turning around and showing the conversation was hereby ended.

Two more weeks passed and everything just got messier. Draco and Blaise downright terrorized the girl, constantly being around and taking care of any aspect of her life that they could enter. And of course, there was Bellatrix Lestrange, the woman that could make things worse. Edenia tried to go on with it, be the nice girl that they wanted her to be but she started to crack slowly.

This morning, when she was in the Great Hall, she noticed that there were fewer students at Hogwarts than ever before. Where did they go? She kept on looking around, her eyes jumped from all tables to the doors, back and forth. BOOM. Edenia squeaked and jumped up. Crabbe and Goyle had sneaked behind her and clapped loudly into her ear, then broke out laughing. Blaise and Draco chimed in when they walked up and Edenia pushed her plate to the side, rolling her eyes.

"Where did they go? The students? So many are gone" She asked and Draco shrugged but Tracey Davis, another girl with whom Edenia shared her dormitory with, responded.  
>"All the muggles are gone. The new law has been released this morning…no muggleborn students are allowed to attend Hogwarts any longer" She said and Edenia frowned widely while Draco smirked.<br>"Finally…that's why it smells so nice when I breathe." He in-and exhaled dramatically as Edenia shook her head and ignored him, taking her attention to Tracey again.  
>"What happens to them, though?"<br>"Geez, Edenia…" Sighed Blaise while eating. "Who cares? Concentrate on yourself."

"Good morning, sweethearts." Said somebody from behind; a voice that Edenia would have loved to vanish instead. Bellatrix Lestrange rested both of her hands on the girl, slightly massaging her shoulders slowly as though they lay in ambush. Edenia watched those nails dancing up and down the black school robe's fabric. The atmosphere grew steamy again but she kept quiet and stared into nothingness while Bellatrix and the others had a conversation about the school's future. She didn't want to hear any of it and instead glanced over to the Gryffindor table where Ginny sat with the others but her head was forced back by the dark witch. Edenia sipped on her hot chocolate, just in case somebody tried to wrap her up in a conversation that she didn't want to participate in, and then noticed how Bellatrix pulled away her hands only to snake around the girl, bend forward and kiss her cheek randomly before walking off and saying "See you in class". Edenia's eyes seemed empty after that, she knew exactly that they tried to wear her out until there was only so much of her left to do as they pleased.

Bellatrix Lestrange was even more unpleasant during the next two hours than she usually was with her husband around. She laughed hysterically when Crabbe gladly threw the Imperius Curse at Seamus Finnigan, making him take off his pants and running around with his undergarments through class while swinging his shirt like a lasso and creating the sounds of a monkey. Edenia bit her bottom lip, not because she was suppressing the laughter but because she started to hate everything in this castle. Ever since Dumbledore died, everything was a complete mess. Severus Snape was barely around and if he was, all he did was acting even more terrifying than ever, not to mention the fact that he never cared to sort things out that went wrong. Wrong like the next thing.

"Edenia. Come here, sweetie." Said Bellatrix suddenly. Edenia's quill fell down in surprise but she got up nonetheless and walked on over to the dark witch quietly. Everyone was watching, and then gasped when Bellatrix asked Ginny Weasley to get to the front, too. Edenia's eyes widened and she shot her head towards Bellatrix whose face was wrapped in a smug grin, looking at Edenia's bewildered expression.

"I want you to curse her, Edenia." Stated the dark witch with her amused tone, stepping backwards and adding. "With the Cruciatus curse…"

"I…can't." Said Edenia, shaking her head. She saw how Bellatrix narrowed her eyes, her nostrils started to flare but the girl explained.  
>"I don't know how to use the curse. I can't do it…" She added and thought that her professor would let it drop but of course that was only an illusion. Bellatrix walked behind Edenia and gave her instructions from that position, holding the girl's arm up the right way while saying.<br>"You've got to want to cause pain. See her suffer…like I want to see her suffer…"  
>"Well, that's a problem because I don't want to cause her any pain." Explained the girl and Ginny closed her eyes, knowing in what kind of trouble Edenia was.<p>

"Then. You. Will. LEARN." Growled Bellatrix in anger and pulled out her own wand, aiming it at Ginny.  
>"CRUCIO!"<p>

Screaming filled the classroom. Most students have learned to ignore it by now but Edenia's eyes filled with water when she watched her friend balling up in pain. She knew why Bellatrix picked her and not somebody else. She saw how Edenia looked at Ginny in the Great Hall earlier; she planned this, knowing she could torture both. Ginny cried and shook her head wildly and Edenia turned her face away. Her eyes met those of Draco and Blaise. Both of them were resting their chins on their hands and grinned. The screaming stopped and Bellatrix then nudged Edenia's shoulder.  
>"Your turn. Do it! Say it. Say the curse! Remember, you've got to mean it!" She hissed and that's when Edenia raised her wand at Ginny. Ginny's eyes widened and people gasped, Goyle jumped up from her seat to get a better look and Draco and Blaise sat upright again; everyone's attention went to Edenia and Ginny.<p>

"CRUCIO!" Edenia shouted out and Bellatrix's laughter died out and relived with screaming. Everyone gasped and Ginny sprang up, not knowing what to do.

Edenia used the curse on Bellatrix.


	6. Stagnation

**Chapter 5: Stagnation **

Edenia's wand remained pointed ahead. Her own eyes were narrowed, then widened.  
>Widened when she suddenly realized what she was doing, widened when she suddenly realized she used an unforgivable curse, widened when she suddenly realized on whom. Bellatrix Lestrange growled and yelled up to her, shouting out threats and thunders of anger rained down on Edenia but she let go of the curse, finally. Ginny's eyes went towards to Malfoy at that moment, he seemed unbelieving. None of the Slytherins were joyful. All of them were quiet and shocked this time, like the Gryffindors and the others usually were when one from their houses was tortured. Then her gaze wandered over to Bellatrix who was still remaining on the floor, panting heavily with her eyes set onto the ceiling.<p>

Edenia just stood there with her mouth gapped open. And everything went so fast in a flash, both her and Bellatrix's eyes met; eyes with the greatest amount of viciousness that was possible. The wish to kill formed in the dark witch's very aura. Edenia gasped and turned around, things started to proceed in slow motion, Bellatrix jumped up her feet, pushed Ginny away who fell down to the ground, aimed towards Edenia with a spell but the latter was faster and stormed up; Blaise stood ready to catch her but once again, she was faster and dashed out of the room. All the screaming, all the yelling out for her, it was all in a bubble of thoughts deep in her mind, all that was left was her instinct to survive.

"EDENIA!" She heard the insane voice calling out for her.  
>"EDENIA! YOU COME HERE RIGHT NOW!" it continued to yell. She dashed through several corridors, upstairs, sometimes downstairs, along other corridors and still yet, Bellatrix's voice was always close; hunting the girl and screaming until the castle seemed to shake.<br>" I'LL DESTROY YOU! COME OUT! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME! YOU CAN'T HIDE FOR GOOD! I'LL FIND YOU!"

Edenia noticed Bellatrix must've been standing somewhere. She herself rested behind a thick column, panted heavily and looked around like a lost kitten, not knowing what to do, taking in the moment of peace and silence until she heard footsteps from the corridor ahead. Her eyes widened when she realized they came closer. Edenia sprang up and ran, ran as fast as she could but Bellatrix spotted her.  
>"STUPIFY!" She yelled and hit the girl who fell down and tried to crawl away but she couldn't. Paralyzed with fear, she backed against a wall as Bellatrix walked over to her slowly with a grin marking the facial features that were dimmed in the red fire of the torches which hung along the walls. She narrowed her eyes at the girl, circling around her with a firm grip on her wand, had to thought carefully, was not yet sure how to end Edenia, obviously wanting revenge to be served the cruelest of ways.<p>

Suddenly, laughter broke out.

Bellatrix laughed insanely, she had to support herself on the wall to not fall down. The girl just stared at her in disbelief, not able to understand. Bellatrix lowered herself down to her student's level, stared deeply into her eyes and came closer with her face. Edenia's head pressed against the cold stone, Bellatrix's body warmth tickled her cold skin but that only intensified the feeling - and Edenia's goosebumps reached their climax when the dark witch spoke close to her lips, only inches away.

"I'll have you for this. You want to protect the blood-traitor? I'll have you watch when she dies…" and up she pulled her with a firm grip on her hair. Edenia screamed and tried to use a spell but Bellatrix ripped the wand away from her. This symbolized so much. Edenia has fallen far from grace, from the traditions of Slytherin; from a witch. Once more, she tried to rip herself free but all she could remember was some sharp pain and the pictures started to fade.

When Edenia woke up she hoped it was all just a dream. She wanted to protect her friend, yet this protection was going to cause her friend to die. This couldn't be the solution. Her bottom lip started to quiver and she turned her head to the left and right before she noticed she couldn't move. Her wrists were cuffed to the corner of a room. She looked around, noticing this looked like an office or something similar.

"Seems like you're awake." Cooed a voice that lingered somewhere Edenia didn't yet look. Bellatrix walked closer, the piece of dark wood rested in her hand as always. She crept around the girl before kneeling down to her level, forcing her chin up with the tip of her wand. Edenia remained quiet but that didn't stop her from noticing how scared she was. Bellatrix opened her mouth to say something but changed her mind, lunged out and slapped Edenia across the face so hard that it was audible throughout the whole room.

"How dare you…!" She growled and her hands laced into the girl's hair, a firm grip forcing her attention back. Edenia's yelped slightly, tears streamed down her face. She whimpered and tried to speak but she couldn't. Bellatrix's eyes narrowed even more at that but she let go of the girl only to slap her once more, Edenia's face, previously on the right turned to the left and didn't move, too big was the fear to get it again.

"Explain!" Bella yelled sharply and the girl flinched at the sudden volume. Her eyes glanced up carefully and she cleared her throat, trying to speak.  
>"You…you wanted me to torture her…I couldn't…" She whimpered and tears rolled down her cheek. "I couldn't…she's my friend…" She coughed slightly and tried to calm down but it was to no use, the tears kept streaming down and she hated the fact that they did.<p>

"She's a blood-traitor! And for something like that you've gone so low that you used the curse on ME!" Another slap hit Edenia; blood flew from her bottom lip. She cried bitterly but Bellatrix wasn't going to end this here.

"Ohh…all the things I want to do to you! I can't decide which of them to do first…what do you think? Hmm? Look at me! LOOK AT ME I SAID! What…shall I do first? Torture you until you're barely alive and then let you see how I kill your little friend? Or maybe…No! No! Hah! I know better…You'll kill her. Oh you will! You kill her in order to stay alive! We will see how humble you are! We will see how much grace is left in you, if there was any to begin with! We will see what you choose! We will see if her life means more to you than your own! WE WILL SEE!" And she jumped up, unlocked the girl and tried to pull Edenia along but the latter used all her force to remain where she was, scared of that plan.

"No! NO PLEASE! Don't…don't do this! I…I made a mistake! I understand! Just, please!" Edenia shouted out through tears. "I'll do anything! Everything you want!"

And Bellatrix stopped, a smirk started to grow on her red painted lips.

"Everything I want?" She purred and grinned, circling around her student daringly.

"Yes…" Defeat marked her very voice when Edenia said this. Her eyes lowered softly and she sniffled a little once more before she dared to look into her tormentor's black eyes. Bellatrix grinned and bit her bottom lip, came yet a little closer, looked into Edenia's eyes while she grabbed the girl's hands and led her backwards to the red silky couch. Insecurity started to grow on the younger one's face and it became worse than that.

"What happens in here stays in here. Everything." Spoke the dark witch, the last condition to their forced agreement.

Nobody saw Edenia the next day. She didn't sit at the Slytherin's table in the Great Hall and not a soul caught a glimpse of her in their common room. She did not realize that the Gryffindors were dueling against a couple of Slytherins – Blaise among them, as they tried to find out where the girl was, believed they knew exactly where. People said she caught a cold but when they have heard of what happened in Bellatrix Lestrange's lesson, everyone was quite sure that Edenia was dead; murdered. But she wasn't. She was alive, barely.

"Is she still in there?" Asked Draco, his eyes glanced over towards the girl's dormitory. Pansy Parkinson nodded and sat down right next to him, handing over some enchanted cooling-bag for Blaise's eye that turned blue from the previous fight. Edenia would've loved to be around at this time, he was oddly quiet ever since.

"Would love to know what happened." Mumbled Goyle and Crabbe nodded. Blaise just huffed but winced when the movement of muscles hurt him, much to Goyle's amusement.

"Bellatrix tortured her, for sure" Said Pansy and shrugged while adding. "Deserved it. She made a complete fool of your aunt, Draco! In front of class. She can consider herself lucky to live. Didn't take Bellatrix to be the kind to take nicely to such things if you ask me…I'd never dare disobey her."

"Edenia changed…" Responded Draco, his concentrated gaze turned away from the girl's dormitory finally before he continued. "Ever since…Dumbledore's death." He added.

"She and Dumbledore got along, huh?" Asked Pansy and rolled her eyes. "That old madman."

"He's dead, Pansy." Informed Draco with a tone of coldness that surprised the others a bit, at least Blaise turned his eyes on his comrade but didn't comment.

"Besides…she got along with everyone. Always" Said Draco only to hear Crabbe chiming in.  
>"Yeah, she always walked away from us when we teased Potter and them filths. Always scolded us that being a great Slytherin don't mean being a great git…" he huffed and crossed his arms, seemingly reliving the situation of discomfort.<p>

"She's not a true Slytherin!" Hissed Pansy suddenly. "No true Slytherin behaves like that. Do you see anyone else behaving like this, aside from her? I don't!"

"The sorting hat has never been wrong, though…" said Goyle. Nobody responded.

"Gha…can't wait until she comes out of there again" Growled Blaise after a moment of silence. "I got this for her!" He pointed to the oddly colored skin around his eye; a mixture of blue and red was clearly visible. Draco glanced around only to let his eyes rest on the girl's dormitory again before he got up to leave the common room; vanished off to sleep.

Edenia was seen the next day in class. Muggle-Studies were obligatory for all students now. She was early and sat somewhere far off in the distance, not saying a word to a soul, not even Ginny or any other Gryffindor. Blaise and Draco walked on over to Edenia once they spotted her, didn't say a word at first but that changed quickly.

"Hey. We need to talk. Edenia? Look at me! We need to talk" Said Blaise suddenly. The girl raised her head and glanced at him and his colorful face, her mouth twitched slightly and she turned her face away again.

"It's not funny! And it's because of you! Because of your stupid friend!"  
>"I didn't know you'd fight for me, Zabini. Why, you could've told me…you know. Didn't have to hide your love and feelings…" She cheered and Crabbe started to laugh, Draco grinned slightly. Blaise, however, didn't seem amused at all.<br>"Keep making a fool of me…I'm sure Bellatrix would love to hear about that." He cooed and, fully aware, it hit a nerve on an instant. Edenia's joyous face was replaced by something they could distinguish as sheer panic.

"What did she do to ya?" Asked Crabbe from behind and Edenia tried to gulp but it was difficult and resulted in a slight cough. Blaise smirked, leaned in and purred into her ear.  
>"Whatever it was…I can be worse."<p>

Alecto Carrow, their new Professor for the subject, walked inside with a wide grin on her, as Edenia found, sloppy face. She stood ready to teach but her attention went to the door when she saw it flinging open once more and darkness filled the room. Bellatrix Lestrange walked inside casually, throwing some strands of curly hair over her shoulder before she sat down close to the classroom's door – as usual. Draco's eyes skipped from his aunt towards to Edenia, wanting to see their reactions and he wasn't disappointed. Edenia's face turned paler than ever before, nostrils flared in the attempts to keep calm and her eyes looked around like a deer that tried to flee. But she did not.

"Why…is she here all the time? In each and every course?" She asked lowly and Draco responded quickly.  
>"Bella is observing all courses and hands over reports to <em>him<em>." He emphasized the latter, making it clear whom he was talking about. Edenia frowned and her attention went back to Alecto.

"We should all talk about Mudbloods and the filth they produce." Their professor started, showing her yellowish teeth as she smiled and walked around aimlessly. Bellatrix leaned back and listened carefully, trying to catch Edenia's attention here and then but it didn't work – the girl ignored her as much as possible. That was all her little student seemed to care about. Trying to avoid the dark haired witch, her mind repeating it over and over again, she didn't even listen to Alecto, only catching bits and pieces of propaganda.  
>"(…) They live in little homes in groups, rarely go to work; most of them can't do the simplest of things. They live on instincts and are dirty, like animals. (…)" and it continued. The words started to swirl in her head, all that was important was to get through with this and not pay any attention to Lestrange who didn't take her eyes off of her. She couldn't look at Bellatrix, she couldn't. Her heart started to beat faster and louder, she clawed on her thigh softly, tapped her feet up and down the floor nervously and the only thing that truly caught her attention was Neville's blood that flew across the room, Alecto leashed out on him on a comment that Edenia didn't hear. He was escorted outside by Ginny and Edenia noticed how Bellatrix's eyes followed the red haired girl but didn't do anything. It was the first time that something went wrong in a class and Edenia didn't fight.<p>

The weeks went on and everyone's mood hit the utmost bottom. Edenia didn't speak to most people, withdrew herself but other than that, was the good girl that everyone expected her to be. Things started to change, Draco thought. Edenia didn't rebel against anything anymore nor did she participate in torturing a soul and also, something that Draco thought to be funny, she wasn't ever asked to torture anyone ever since that significant lesson with his aunt. He shrugged it off, thinking that was the case because Rodolphus came back after that and continued his lessons. His thoughts were interrupted once he spotted Edenia walking into the common room, aiming towards the girl's dormitory but was stopped.

"Hey. Come here for a second…"  
>"What do you want?" She asked, not yet walking there to him.<br>"I just want to talk."  
>Edenia sighed heavily but trotted over, sat down and waited expectantly.<p>

"Well?"  
>"Look, Halloween is up tomorrow and I wondered if somebody asked you yet…?"<br>"Asked me what?"  
>"The…Death Eaters are having a Halloween Party. Over at Hogsmeade. All the Slytherins are invited. Would you like to go with me?"<br>She frowned. Death Eaters having a Halloween Party? It was way too absurd to laugh about it. She didn't even doubt it but couldn't help the snort of disapproval escaping her lips as she shook her head in disbelief.

"No thanks…"  
>"I thought I would ask you nicely before somebody else is going to force you." He explained with his eyes pointing ahead towards the door and crossed his arms. Edenia noticed he had a point. A very good point indeed as she remembered when Blaise walked on inside and aimed right towards her.<p>

"Finally a soul gets to see you. You. Me. Halloween." He said and Edenia shook her head.  
>"Draco just asked me and I agreed." She informed and for a moment, Blaise and Draco had some sort of stare down that was interrupted when Pansy walked on inside, followed by Crabbe and Goyle and telling them off.<p>

"We are asked to wear black clothes. No costumes." Said Draco and Edenia nodded. She could imagine what kind of party that was going to be.


	7. Halloween

**Chapter 6: Halloween**

Halloween. Everyone talked about it; even the other houses were all excited although none of them was invited to go. Some tried, however, and grew suspiciously friendly with the Slytherins but they weren't ignorant enough to fall for this.  
>Edenia couldn't understand all the fussing about it. She herself didn't want to go but she remembered what Draco said. What if somebody forced her instead? Someone she didn't want around at all costs? Thinking about all those things, she fluffed up her hair a bit and checked her reflection in the mirror; randomly tucking on the fabric of her black strapless dress that reached a little above her knees. The girl sighed heavily. She really didn't want to go at all.<p>

"Don't be so arrogant, Serapaid" it said from the back of the room. Edenia spun around and looked at Pansy Parkinson wearing a long and boring black gown that wouldn't have looked better even if it were looser than suited for her body.

"I'm not arrogant." Said Edenia boredly and brushed on a bracelet.  
>"By the way. I want you to give back my black laced shirt that you found oh so ugly. I know you have it. Who else would?" Said Edenia suddenly and crossed her arms.<br>Pansy laughed in a mocking way, shaking her head.  
>"Are you stupid or something? Why would I steal that ugly rag?" Grinned the brunette. Edenia just eyed her from foot to head in a disregarding manner, then walked passed Pansy without further commenting it. Pansy crossed her arms but huffed; decided that she didn't want to let it be as she followed.<p>

"Who are you going with? Who would ask a traitor like you?"

Edenia didn't answer. She merely proceeded walking into the common room, waiting. To her surprise, Crabbe and Goyle both stepped out, wearing black suits but that didn't help their appearance at all. Now that she thought of it, a question came into her mind. What if Slytherins weren't only allowed to go, but obliged? Pansy stood there with her arms still crossed when the boys walked over to her. She glanced at Edenia who seemed quite amused about this and hissed at her in response.

"What?! At least someone asked me. Two in fact. I bet you are going alone." Growled Pansy with narrowed eyes but at that moment Draco walked on out of the boy's dormitory, fixing his tie before he smiled lightly at Edenia and asked.  
>"Ready?"<br>"Yup." She responded and both left the common room; too bad that Edenia didn't get to catch a glimpse of Pansy's shocked expression anymore.

Black, they said. It was almost so black that they couldn't see a single thing at Hogsmeade when they walked into the village. They entered this roomy cottage that Edenia has never seen before; a large buffet was set in the middle of the room on a table with enough spots to hold at least fifty people. It was immense. A black crystal chandelier hung down to its center, lighting up the place with a shade of grey and purple, it was difficult to determine what color it was but it dyed the whole cottage in a mysterious atmosphere. Enchanted skulls flew around the whole room, their eyes glowed green. Sometimes they would fly up to a student and ask them about their blood status and if somebody said they were pure, the skull opened its mouth and out came a Halloween-treat. A half-blood got nothing, instead, it flew away to ask someone else. Goyle was foolish enough to state that he was a Muggle just for the fun of it - and the skull's eyes glowed red suddenly; it attacked with its teeth trying to bore into Goyle's throat and he had a lot of trouble getting rid of it.  
>Edenia didn't like this at all. Soon, the place would be filled with people she didn't want around herself. How could the others enjoy that? Not having enough time to further evaluate the situation, she felt a pair of hands sneak around her waist from behind. Distinctive sharp fingernails caught her eyesight and the throaty chuckle that emerged next to her ear told enough.<br>"Well hello there..." Purred Bellatrix Lestrange and let go of the girl. Edenia turned her head to the side and nodded over her shoulder, not directly greeting the dark witch. Draco glanced at his aunt and smiled faintly at her when she walked by but his eyes adverted over to the entrance. Blaise was standing there in the doorframe wearing a good looking dark suit and a smug grin was plastered on his face as he walked over to both Draco and Edenia.  
>"Looking good." He complemented her and his eyes wandered down to her legs and black heels and up again. She forced a smile but turned to Draco.<br>"So...for how long do we have to stay? I mean they saw us. We could leave again..."  
>"Warm up, Edenia. We just arrived." Said Blaise with rolled eyes but chuckled when he saw Crabbe trying to get a Halloween-treat out of a skull's mouth that had it stuck tightly between its teeth and bit his finger the other second. Edenia wasn't amused at all, not even when the skull spat the treat against Crabbe's forehead and flew away. A hand stretched out to her the next moment, Bellatrix offered her something to drink and the girl didn't dare declining the offer. She took the glass filled with red liquid and held it in her hands, not planning on drinking any of it, however. The last time she trusted Bellatrix with something to drink was in the Slytherin's common room and had her tea filled with something that caused her to fall asleep.<br>"Why so stiff, hmm?" Purred the dark haired witch but Edenia shook her head. She wanted to say something but when Pansy asked Draco if he wanted to dance and he refused, she had to back away slightly when Pansy rushed by in anger.  
>"I'm not. I just don't enjoy...gatherings." Edenia informed and Bellatrix grinned in a dark manner.<br>"But this is not some usual gathering..." She said and pointed ahead with her chin. The room filled with black hooded figures and white masks. Death Eaters.  
>But it didn't surprise Edenia. Draco told her that the Death Eaters invited the Slytherins. Slightly confused, she shrugged to let Bellatrix know that she didn't believe it to be special, after all, Death Eaters were all over the school. Bellatrix shook her head and whispered.<br>"Watch."  
>And that's when the girl could see clearly. Behind a couple of black robes, a woman was held captive. Someone silenced her with a muting-charm and Edenia was shocked, her eyes widened. It was Ginny!<br>"What! Let me through, no!" She yelled but the music and other sounds were so loud that only Bellatrix could hear her.  
>"We had a deal!" Cried Edenia and tried to break free but Bellatrix laughed and held the girl's face in the both of her hands, speaking in a mockingly soothing tone.<br>"Shhhh. Quiet, baby. Be quiet. You don't want this to get uglier than it already is, do you?"  
>"We had a deal...we had..." Pleaded Edenia and tears ran down her cheek. Bellatrix brushed them away when the girl kept whimpering.<br>"Please, don't hurt her..." She begged softly and Bellatrix kissed Edenia's cheek.  
>"We won't hurt her."<p>

The black robes forced Ginny down on a free spot by the table; everyone turned their attention on the red haired girl. Edenia looked at her sympathetically, wanting to do something but she couldn't. She didn't have her wand, Bellatrix never gave it back. Suddenly, the music stopped. And then silence fell through the cottage.

Her eyes shot up when the door flung open loudly once more and in strode a pale man with facial features of a snake followed by a large, hissing serpent. She couldn't believe it. Her mouth gapped open, gasping erupted, did they not know he was coming here? Was everyone as clueless as Edenia? All the people bowed down, even Draco next to her, and he had to force her head down as well because she didn't seem to bow down on her own. The room grew cold and the chandelier turned its color emerald green, the skulls stopped flying around; instead, they floated like normal objects.

"Good evening…" _He_ said with a cold voice and sat down; everyone else followed his lead when he offered his hand to motion them to sit. "I find it to be very fascinating…to see so many new and hopefully talented and loyal faces" He started with a voice that sounded low, lingering. Like a snake. Nobody ever dared looking into his eyes. Edenia let her gaze wander around the attendants carefully, catching Severus Snape sitting very close to _him_; Voldemort. Never in her life had she seen him before. She has never been around him, only heard about the things that he did and judged from afar but did she dare doing it now? Her self-esteem sank deeper down than the Slytherin's dungeon was placed, her eyes wandered over to Ginny in great worry. But no. They probably just wanted to scare her, yes, that must be it, Edenia thought. Bellatrix said they won't hurt her.

"I would like to introduce you to a well-known Hogwarts-student. One of who we believe to know about Harry Potter and his whereabouts. Bellatrix Lestrange has already informed me that we have someone special giving a very warm welcome to the power of the Cruciatus curse in order to loosen her mouth a bit. Her name would be…Edenia. Is she here, tonight?" He asked and everyone went silent but all eyes were fixed on Edenia. Her heart sank into her stomach; she wanted to peel her skin off of her body as it started to heat up. Her bottom lip twitched for the split of a second and Bellatrix cleared her throat, only now has Edenia noticed that she sat next to her.  
>"She is right here with me, my lord." Spoke the dark haired witch as she put the palm of her hand on Edenia's thigh under the table, the amusement in her voice was barely noticeable. Feeling something hard on her thigh, she noticed that it must have been her wand that Bellatrix just handed back to her.<p>

"Well, Edenia." His face turned right at her. She looked down and could almost feel Bellatrix's excitement.  
>"Come here…" He continued and all that Edenia wanted to do was to get out of this, leaving everyone and everything behind. But she didn't. She got up and walked over to him, standing a little off to the side with her hands folded by her stomach. Her empty gaze wandered across the room again; she noticed Draco's parents sitting next to Bellatrix. Draco, however, didn't look at Edenia at all; in fact, he seemed like he tried everything but to look in her direction.<p>

"Have you mastered the Cruciatus curse yet, my child?" The slithering voice asked next to her again and Edenia shook her head.

"You see, the best of us have learned from me." He said and Bellatrix smiled brightly when his eyes caught hers. His gaze turned towards Edenia but she kept quiet.

"Now. Make that blood-traitor sing. Make her tell us everything we want to know." He stood up and walked over to Ginny, staring into her eyes and she stared back but didn't say a word. He walked to the back of the room, raised his wand and pulled it from the left to the right. The muting-charm must've been eased by now.

"Concentrate on the hatred you feel for her. Feel the curse yourself. Feel the anger; push it through your wand's tip! You have one attempt. You do not want to fail me, do you, Edenia?"  
>"No…"<br>"No _what_?" He asked lowly, his eyes narrowed.  
>"No…my lord…" She corrected herself and gulped. Bellatrix's eyes filled with dramatic tears of delight and pride. Slowly, Edenia walked over to Ginny. Ginny stared back at her and she flinched slightly but Edenia nodded lowly at her. The red head seemed confused at that slight nod, it also seemed as though nobody else seemed to see it. Edenia gulped again, pointed her wand at the red haired girl, caught her eyes again and once more, she nodded and nobody seemed to notice it as she stood in front of the girl and thus blocked them from seeing her faces. And then it seemed to hit Ginny.<br>"CRUCIO!" Yelled Edenia. Screaming erupted throughout the room. The red haired girl turned to the left and right, cried hysterically and the Death Eaters jumped up and circled around the scene. Bellatrix laughed and cheered when she saw it, finally! Finally Edenia understood it.  
>"WHERE IS POTTER?" Yelled Edenia and paced up and down with her wand still pointed at Ginny.<br>"HE IS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!" She cried out and people gasped.  
>"WHAT COUNTRY?" Growled Edenia.<br>"I DON'T KNOW!" Ginny cried still, screaming and shouting. Edenia's eyes narrowed and she pulled her wand away and Ginny stopped making noise.  
>"Tell us…tell us where he will be! Tell us and you will live. Cooperate! You know more than you just said!" Yelled Edenia once more and pointed her wand at her former friend. Ginny sniffled and then squeaked. "He will come here after the holidays!" she informed and Edenia seemed content at that moment. She glanced over to Voldemort, wondering if this was enough and he smirked and nodded.<br>"Good…while I doubt she is a reliable source…it will not hurt to go after Potter and meanwhile…hope, for her sake, that she told the truth. In case she didn't. And Potter is not here by the end of the holidays…I'm sure your next lesson will contain the killing-curse, Edenia." He cooed and patted his snake's head. Bellatrix walked up to Edenia and hugged her from behind. And nobody knew that, even though this Halloween nobody wore a costume, Ginny and Edenia both wore the same mask. The mask of imposition.


	8. Blaise

**AN: Hey people! I really like the story so far and I feel motivated to write more and more everyday! I hope you like it. I know where I want this story to go. It's building up slowly and there will be quite some interesting turns (I hope) and ahhhh I can't wait to write it all. Please let me know what you think sometime, too. ^_^**

**Chapter 7: Blaise **

The first encounter with the dark lord didn't want to get out of Edenia's head. She closed her eyes as she sat down in the Slytherin's common room, reliving the scenario. He entered the cottage so simply, so nonchalantly. She could still feel the coldness when it happened, still had goosebumps whenever she thought about it. The Death Eaters didn't invite the Slytherin's to have a fine evening, that's for sure. And Bellatrix. Bellatrix must have planned this all along ever since Edenia used the Cruciatus curse on her. Did it go the way the dark witch planned? Did she hope Voldemort would kill Ginny? Did she hope she could hide behind the fact that it wasn't her fault in case it happened? Still yet, Edenia was sure that some things didn't go as planned.  
>Clap.<br>"Huh?" Edenia asked, shaking her head quickly in confusion. Blaise clapped in her face to get her attention as he sat down next to her. It was late in the evening and nobody else was awake.  
>"What are you thinking of?"<br>"Not much."  
>"You are a horrible liar, Edenia..." He mused and grinned, tilted his head back and followed her eyes to see they stared out of the windows for a couple of seconds. The underwater-scenery was excuse enough to rest eyes on.<br>"You know..." He started and spun his face towards her again. "You changed, didn't you… I knew it would take some time but I also knew you'd warm up eventually...until you behave."  
>"Behave..." Repeated Edenia with a low huff. She shook her head and turned her face away but her eyes widened when she felt a warm hand slither up her thigh. Blaise scooted closer and wrapped his arm around her waist, trying to pull her against his body but she gasped and pushed him away.<br>"Blaise! Did you drink too much at the party?!" She asked but he laughed and got up, towering above her. He was significantly taller than Edenia. His chocolate brown eyes bored into her innocent and alerted gaze while she stepped backwards but Blaise threw out his arms quickly and slung them around her again, hugging her tightly while she tried to break free. He had her screaming and shouting muffled when he pressed her head against his chest, rocking to the left and right soothingly but all it did was making her more nervous than ever.  
>"Come on...you and me, it works. All you have to do is...learn a bit more." He snickered and closed his eyes while he kept rocking.<br>"Shhh...Don't cry." He sighed and pressed her even more against his chest. When he was sure she kept quiet enough, he let go but noticed she wanted to say something and that was when he silenced her with a controlling and passionate kiss. It soon turned out to be very messy; his hands slithered down to her bottom and squeezed it firmly. Edenia could clearly taste the flavor of rum on her tongue, her eyes got watery again and she tried to reach out for her wand or anything but he had her hands locked in his own. Walking backwards, he bent her down the round table in the middle of the room and during that, his mouth slipped for the split of a second, giving her the chance to scream and shout out for help. Blaise growled loudly and backed away from her when the boy's dormitory flung open and out walked Draco.  
>"What's going on here?" He asked but he saw where Edenia was and how Blaise rested close against the wall, his head tilted back with eyes rolling, looking up to the ceiling in annoyance. Even Crabbe and Goyle would have been able to understand. Draco cleared his throat but didn't further comment, however stated instead.<p>

"It's late. You should go to sleep..." He said and turned away to walk off. Blaise threw Edenia one last glance; she had her head turned away in shame but caught his eyes and lips before he disappeared into the boy's dormitory. "I'll get you." He mouthed.

The next day, on Saturday, Edenia woke up early to leave the common room first in hope to return late without being stalked down. She decided to skip breakfast in order to get done with a couple of essays for the upcoming classes and thus placed herself deep into the library. The hours passed and it took quite some time until she heard known voices somewhere off.  
>"Ah! Here she is! She is here!" Said Crabbe and he waved someone by. Goyle and Draco peeped their heads around the corner and then walked on over to her.<br>"Have you been here all day long?" Asked Draco with a frown.  
>"All day long? What do you mean?" She asked in confusion.<br>"It's almost six ó clock in the afternoon, Edenia." He said and sighed.  
>"Time flies. Well, I have finished all the essays that we needed to get done with. Even Carrow's stupid task on writing how the natural order should be re-established over muggles..." She grumbled, stuffed the parchment away and got up but looked at Draco in surprise when he pulled away her bag and books, carrying them.<br>"Let's go." He walked on without further saying anything.

Dinner turned out to be quite okay this time. Was the food always so delicious? Edenia's stomach rumbled in anger as it had not been getting anything to eat for a while. She helped herself to a fine Italian salad and gratin potatoes that contained lots of cheese and, in case Blaise would try anything again, garlic. She enjoyed the food so much that she didn't even notice Blaise watching her the whole time; until he cleared his throat and said.  
>"You don't want to eat so much. Don't ruin your body." He mumbled and Edenia stared at him in shock, the fork halfway in her mouth. She narrowed her eyes at him and grabbed a second portion of high calorie gratin potatoes and would have eaten it out of spite even if it meant throwing up half of it later on.<br>Being completely stuffed after a chocolate-chip-cookie, she rubbed her stomach and looked around the Great Hall, noticing something. After cautious glances to the back and front, she got up and walked on over towards the Gryffindor-table, leaned in to Neville and asked.  
>"Where is Ginny? And Luna? Where are they?"<br>Neville shook his head, his eyebrows constricted. He looked over towards Snape, by the time he was the only cruel person around right now. Aside from a couple of Death Eaters he didn't worry about him all too much. Another glimpse was shot to the left and right before he felt safe.  
>"Gone..." He whispered.<br>"What do you mean?" She gasped and Neville was about to say something but his eyes fell on another dark figure entering the room. He kept quiet and pointed at the person with his eyes; Edenia turned around and saw Bellatrix Lestrange walking to the usual spot with her eyes scanning the room. By now, Edenia straightened herself and walked back to the Slytherin table quickly.

"What was that for?" Asked Crabbe and Edenia didn't feel the necessity to answer. She poured in a cup of tea instead and kept it close, just in case.  
>"Well?" Asked Blaise and she now noticed that Draco's attention turned to her as well.<br>"Just wanted to know if Ginny is too scared to be seen when Slytherin's are around." She grinned and Goyle laughed and nodded.  
>"Bet she is!" He howled and relaxed when nobody else laughed. A tap on her shoulder caused Edenia to turn around and look into a pair of black orbs.<br>"Yes...Madam Lestrange?" She asked, instinctively clinging to the cup of tea.  
>"Could I borrow you for a private conversation...?" asked Bellatrix but something in her voice informed everyone that it wasn't a question but rather a command.<br>"S..sure..." Squeaked Edenia softly and put the cup down before leaving with the dark witch, eyes followed them.

"Sit." Demanded the curly haired woman. Edenia sat down and glanced around the office. She knew the room by now. Bellatrix walked over to her, standing. Her dark eyes fell on Edenia like rain on naked skin.

"What…did I do now?" She asked timidly, not wanting to get in any trouble again.

"Give me your wand." Cooed Bellatrix coldly, Edenia frowned.  
>"What? But why? I'm…I'm defenceless without my wand, I-"<br>"Give. Me. Your. Wand."

With a sigh, Edenia pulled out the piece of wood and handed it to Bellatrix, not looking into her eyes. Anger rose in her. She was a witch! Capable of magic! Deciding that she didn't want to leave this without understanding why exactly she was stripped off of her wand again, she asked with crossed arms and a clear, irritated voice.

"Why? Why can't I keep my wand?"  
>"Well, dear." Started Bellatrix and threw some curly strands of hair over her shoulder.<br>"You know…now that the traitor ran away... What assures me your service?" She grinned and Edenia shook her head in disgust, her face turned away but Bellatrix grabbed it back, hot breath tickling Edenia's bottom lip.

"Why don't you ask your dear husband for some service instead?" The girl spluttered out before she could stop it and the regret came when the palm of Bellatrix's hand connected to Edenia's cheek. She kept her face turned away; silence invaded the office while she caressed the stinging skin - but Bellatrix wasn't one to talk to like this. She grabbed Edenia's hair, something she would do quite often, and tightened her hand around it while glaring into her eyes.

"Don't you cope an attitude with me! I believe I have been way too kind to you, half-blood!" She growled and Edenia's eyes grew big. Half-blood. She has never been called this when it meant to be an offence; not even the Slytherins threw this at her. Was it because she belonged to them, that they never said it? With a surprised expression she looked at Bellatrix and didn't seem to understand. She kept quiet, even though she wanted to say something but she didn't know what.

"Don't tell me you weren't aware…" Frowned Edenia and Bellatrix let go.  
>"Well! I did know, of course! It explains your will of leaving tradition behind, that other half in you! Explains very well! But I! I haven't given up on you, believing you could be rescued from becoming too much of that other…dirty half! Don't be an unthankful brat!" She growled and the girl shook her head with a frown.<br>"I did everything you expected me to do…" Edenia whimpered and tried to hold back the tears but it was difficult. Bellatrix's eyes softened and she let go of Edenia's hair, patting her head gently.

"You have done a good job, yesterday. I am proud of you…The Dark Lord was so pleased…I guess…you begin to learn." She cooed and a smile started to grow on her lips. Edenia didn't want to talk to Bellatrix but there was something she needed to know.  
>"Why…was he there, yesterday? Why…would he care to…visit a random Halloween-party…I mean. Doesn't he have more important things to do?" she asked, trying everything to choose her words regarding him carefully, knowing Bellatrix would otherwise leash out on an instant but she only cackled loudly.<br>"Halloween-party! That was a term we used to lure you in so you would come. The new generation of Death Eaters needs to be ensured. And we already have a few more, since yesterday…I didn't want them to be selected as his most loyal, Tsk… however…the Dark Lord's decisions are final…"

"What? Who? How..." Edenia looked flabbergasted.

"You will see. Now…" Bellatrix smirked and pulled Edenia closer, kissing her cheek gently. The girl winced because the skin was still irritated from the slap but didn't squirm away. After a short while, Bellatrix let go of the girl and said.  
>"Be a good girl. And maybe…one of these days…you will get back your wand. Go to bed, now." She commanded but Edenia took a last glimpse to her wand, pursed her lips and turned around to walk off over to the Slytherin's common room.<p>

On her way there, her heart started beating faster. She was scared to enter it now that she couldn't protect herself anymore. Peeping inside with her head, she noticed that nobody was there in the common room. It was quite dark, only a few candles lit it up. Tiptoeing ahead, almost in front of the girl's dormitory, a sound caused her to avert her attention towards its direction. What was that? Not seeing anything, she turned back around with the intention to reach her bed but she stared right into distinctive, determined eyes.

"Blaise…please…"  
>"Oh Edenia…" He purred and grinned, leaning closer to her. He had her locked between the wall and his very own body.<p>

"What do you want?"  
>"Do you want me to show you?"<br>"Knock it off…I'm tired. I want to go to bed…"  
>"Never have your wand pointed at me, have you? Where is it, Edenia? Hmm? Where is your wand…?" He asked with a grin and couldn't help himself but play with some strands of her hair, twirling them around his index finger as he leaned in and purred. "A witch without a wand…So defenceless…"<p>

"Blaise! Knock! It! Off!" She growled. "You don't want to touch a half-blood! You always said that…you always-"  
>"I'm not the same anymore, Edenia. Get over it. Get over the fact that I started caring about some things. One of them stands right before me…"<br>"I will scream. I swear. I will scream. I will tell everyone, the whole school! I will make your life a living hell, I-"  
>"You faked the Cruciatus curse."<br>Edenia's mouth fell open. Eyes widened.

"I will scream, I swear. I will scream. I will tell everyone, the whole school. I will make your life a living hell…" Blaise repeated and brushed strands of hair behind her ear, mocking her with her own words.  
>"And I could…" He added, pulling up the sleeve of his arm. There, Edenia could see the black tattoo that told the ugly truth that he indeed could make her life a living hell.<p> 


	9. Invitation

**Chapter 8: Invitation**

Edenia glared up the ceiling but could not move. Kisses poured down on her neck. Blaise didn't even try to be gentle when he bit and sucked on the tender skin harshly, causing her to squirm away and wince but he would just pull her back and thrust her against the wall angrily while staring into her face in an unamused manner.  
>"How do you even know…?" Winced Edenia, the question did not leave her mind. Blaise chuckled.<br>"Did you see me around when the Dark Lord was in the cottage?" He whispered hotly against her earlobe, nibbling slightly on it and continued explaining. Edenia tried to remember and indeed, she can't recall seeing him around the table that evening.  
>"I was outside…but I had a very good view into the cottage standing in front of a window…and there I saw your intense gaze at Ginny, your nodding and lip movement. "Scream" it said, didn't it? And when I later asked Crabbe and Goyle what happened they told me you used the curse on Ginny and everyone was oh so proud…what a good girl you are, aren't you?" He smirked deviously and his hungry lips crashed onto hers again. That was the moment when Edenia just closed her eyes to let the things happen that she could not fight. He had her in her hands. What did it matter if she pushed him away now? What did it matter if she fought him now? If Blaise ever told Voldemort the truth, there was no mercy for her. The moments passed and her hopes faded when his hands roamed around her body but with a sudden jolt she felt free; the body heat in front of her was gone. Noise. Shooting her eyes open, she could only see arms pulling Blaise away from her in the darkness and angry snarling erupted throughout the common room. When in the right position of the candlelight, she saw Draco holding a wand to Blaise's throat and could hear the sound of another wand falling down to the floor.<br>"Keep out of my business, Malfoy!" Hissed Blaise but Draco growled.  
>"When the year started we said we would help her adapting! We didn't say a word about rape!"<br>"You should have been clearer on those instructions then! Your aunt had no problem letting me do things to Edenia! I don't need your permission." He glanced to his tattoo then before he continued "Besides... Don't be so naive. She wouldn't listen to us! She will continue making a fool out of us if we don't show her how serious we are!"  
>"Enough, Slytherins won't sink so low." Grumbled Draco in a deep voice and let go of Blaise harshly. His blue eyes wandered towards Edenia who slid down the wall by this point, crying bitterly. He tilted his head to the side to motion Blaise to get going and he did without further comment. But a comment was not needed as he grinned at Edenia and only she knew what that meant. Draco, for the shortest while, seemed to want to say something to her, had his mouth open to do so but decided against it and just left as well, leaving the girl to herself.<p>

The next days were sheer horror. Edenia had to stay close to them, had to endure Blaise's nasty glances, comments and threats and had absolutely nobody to talk to as Ginny and Luna still hadn't come back and the pack made sure that Edenia didn't try for another conversation with Neville or anyone else for that matter. It started to get to her mental sanity, slowly but surely. She wanted to yell when she had to keep quiet, she wanted to run when she had to follow them, she wanted to fight when she chose not to and she wanted to be herself when she couldn't. She felt like she sold herself but got nothing in return and felt weak and small, so painfully small.

"Now, now. What are those tears for, hm?" Someone purred into her ear from behind. Edenia spun around and saw the worst person in existence. She didn't respond as she stared on ahead, looking at the water. Here the hope of having found a secluded area vanished at once. She should have known better: of course there was no hiding, not from her; Bellatrix Lestrange.  
>"Have you come here to mock me?" Asked the girl when she noticed some shifting and rustling and from the corner of her eyes she saw the dark witch sitting down on the flat grass next to her, asking. "Who hurt you?"<br>"Nobody..."  
>"Draco?"<br>"No..."  
>"Blaise?"<br>Edenia kept quiet at that moment but played with the hem of her skirt in order to occupy her hands and keeping herself from bursting into tears.  
>"What did he do?" Asked Bellatrix demandingly but Edenia turned her face away. She didn't want to tell her anything; after all she was one of the reasons why she felt so miserable in the first place; but then again, she was someone to talk to. Then she reminded herself that it was not that easy. How could somebody possibly talk to their tormentor who did even more than what Blaise did? Bellatrix grew impatient, she forced Edenia's face back whilst grabbing her chin but that was when her eyes trailed down on the girl's neck as it stretched. Now she could see what Blaise did.<br>"How far did he go?!" Growled the dark witch and Edenia's eyes filled with tears but she managed to stammer out. "Not too far...Draco pulled him away from me..." But when Bellatrix remained quiet, Edenia said in a sharp tone. "What do you care?! You are the one teaching him it's okay to touch me...!"  
>"Not in that way!" Bellatrix hissed back.<br>"How should he know?! He's just taking what he thinks you gave to him!" Said Edenia cynically and wiped away her tears. Silence crept up around them again and the next thing that Edenia saw is black silky nebula that lingered at the spot where Bellatrix was and disappeared the other second. She was alone again.

The first snowflakes fell in the early next morning - or at least that's what everyone could see while having breakfast in the Great Hall. Maybe it was the scent of cinnamon and apples that lingered in the air or maybe it was the fact that Blaise wasn't there with them, but Edenia felt like this was going to be an unusual day. Crabbe, Goyle and Draco were close to Edenia as always and didn't seem to vanish either. None of them said a word while they listened to the choir singing about magical traditions, causing Edenia to roll her eyes inwardly. She didn't even want to comment it in her head.  
>"Did you hear?" Whispered Pansy to Draco who seemed slightly annoyed at the fact that he had to act like he cared about whatever Pansy said when forced to ask "What?"<br>"I've been sneaking around the Gryffindors lately and they said that they almost caught Potter. He must have been somewhere in the ministry."  
>"Yes, I know." Sighed Draco. "Yaxley mentioned it. He got away though."<br>Silence filled the room.  
>"Anyway. The holidays start soon. Where are you going to go? Are you going to stay here? Because I-"<br>"I will go home. And stay there for a bit longer."  
>"What do you mean?" She asked hastily with big eyes and a large frown.<br>"It means that I won't return to Hogwarts for a while." He answered simply and finished eating. Edenia looked at him in wonder.  
>"You're going to leave us behind during these dark times?" Pansy squeaked and her voice was shaking. He did not answer however and got up to walk out of the Great Hall. Crabbe and<p>

Goyle stared at each other while Pansy's eyes followed Draco and didn't even seem to stop when he was gone minutes ago. Edenia wasn't sure how to feel about that. Draco ripped Blaise away from her, helped her. Then again, he started this entire "controlling-Edenia" thing. Crabbe and Goyle got up and walked away the next moment and the rest of the Slytherins did the same and the other houses left quietly for their lessons as well, causing the room to fall silent yet again. Pansy stared at Edenia, continuously narrowing her eyes at her but she eventually just got up to leave the Great Hall. For Edenia, it took a little longer; her eyes watched the snowflakes falling down the sky before she sighed deeply and decided that she didn't want to be late in Professor Lestrange's course.

When two more days passed and Edenia didn't see Blaise around even once she started to feel guilty. He was gone for almost five days. Or at least she just did not see him anywhere. Maybe he avoided her. Maybe something happened. Yes, she hated him, everything about him. What if Bellatrix went on a rampage? Did Edenia truly wish death upon him? No. Not at all. Being occupied with these thoughts, she sat in the common room and thought about it but her thoughts were interrupted when two students crashed through the door. Some fifth-years laughed and giggled but ran away when Crabbe and Goyle entered the room and growled after them. Edenia just looked at them in confusion and annoyance but got up to walk away again. She aimed upstairs when, around the corner, she faced Draco.  
>"There you are. Uhm…" He started and swung his arm around her shoulder, leading her downstairs again, not caring about her perplex face. He sat down in the common room where Pansy sat and chatted with Millicent Bullstrode, another roommate who was rarely seen.<br>"Look…" He said again and pushed her shoulders down gently. Pansy continued talking but her eyes glanced towards Edenia every once in a while.  
>"My family invited you to come over on Christmas eve…" He started but he was interrupted when Pansy jumped up.<br>"What?! So that's why you won't stay here, huh! I knew you two had a thing going! I knew it! You kept fancying her, kept talking about her even in front of me while we were dating! How dare you!" She yelled and Edenia rolled her eyes but didn't bother to correct Pansy in any way at all. She wasn't worth her breath. Draco seemed to think the same; he just inhaled and tilted his head back to lean against the couch, staring up the ceiling in annoyance. His attention averted to Edenia once Pansy stormed off and Millicent followed. A quick glance to the left and right was shot from Draco's eyes before he leaned in and explained the rest.  
>"Bellatrix suggested it…<em>He<em> was very pleased to hear about that…"  
>Edenia's frown grew wider. Did they have no better things to do? Could Christmas be boring without stressing out a random student from Hogwarts? Did even Voldemort wanted to enjoy his holidays a bit? And was that the only way to enjoy anything at all, taunting people?<br>"I guess I have to come, then…" She sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose, headache crashed into her mind at the sheer thought of having to endure seeing that monster again. What if Blaise told him? What if he only invited Edenia over to kill her? All those insecurities were increasing the pondering in her head even more, it grew unbearable. Her eyes opened again and she asked softly, with a clearly stressed out voice.  
>"You'll…you'll stay with me, right?"<br>"Yes…I'll be there. Of course." He informed and patted her head. Again, his mouth opened, he wanted to say something but as always, he chose not to.

The days passed like pictures around her in slow motion, sometimes the world seemed to rotate faster and Edenia did not feel good when Christmas Eve was up. Her stomach knotted up at the thought of it. In fact, she couldn't think of a worse day than that. And if only Edenia knew what awaited her that evening, she would have thought of a way to run from it. But as always, life plaid curious paths and it so happened that the surprise later that day needed yet to be unwrapped.

**AN: Sorry for the Cliffhanger in this one :D. But. Oh my god! What will happen to Edenia on Christmas? Well. You'll have to wait for the next chapter :3 **


	10. Christmas

**Chapter 9: Christmas **

Malfoy manor was breathtakingly gigantic. A tall and widespread dark castle towered around its almost naked surrounding; gothic looking facets greeted the two Hogwarts students. Edenia walked towards the columns that had gargoyles as their capital and surrounded the entrance that Draco and she stood before. The gate-like door would lead Edenia into another misery; she was aware but not sure if she could agree. It was like choosing and allowing bad things to happen. Draco decided for her before she could change her mind; he unlocked the door and stepped inside a large hall that was empty, catching visitors and allowing them to look around. Everything was dark and grey and most things didn't look touched. They were of high prize, Edenia could clearly tell. Bought but never used.

"Dinner won't begin before eight." Draco said and smiled lightly. "It never did."  
>"What time is it anyway? Isn't anyone at home?"<br>"It's about six I guess. And I don't know. I sometimes don't notice someone is here until I accidentally run into them..." Draco confessed. Edenia nodded, she could understand. The manor was so huge; it wouldn't be a surprise if they met his for thirty years missed whatever cousin somewhere.  
>"Do you want me to show you around?" He asked and chuckled when Edenia's eyes spun towards him quickly; he caught her observing all the details she could find.<br>"Sure." She replied and both of them walked off. He showed her around the living areas, the library and the pool. Sometimes she could even peer into non-used rooms, she saw one that had only a chess-table and two chairs inside. All the colours were dark and dim, nothing shrill. After some turns through a home-bar and a couple of bedrooms, both of them ended up in this large winter-garden. It was simply gorgeous. A pond was spread across the landscape and made everything seem so at peace.  
>"It's beautiful. I never had an idea how big it actually is." She said and smiled lightly.<p>

"Edenia..." Draco then started as he stared ahead out of the frozen windows. She glanced at his back and kept her silence when he continued, but something in his voice sounded troubled, clearly troubled.  
>"I..." He paused again and turned around but just when he was about to go on, both Draco and Edenia turned their heads to the same direction.<br>"Hello sweeties!" Cheered a shrill voice and Bellatrix Lestrange walked into the garden, opening her arms to hug and kiss Draco who let it happen reluctantly. Edenia snickered slightly as she watched but it was just to make some sort noise so she wouldn't be standing there like an awkward penguin. Bellatrix glanced at the girl, the corner of her mouth twitched up in a halfway grin. She reached out and brushed a couple loose strands of hair behind Edenia's ear, cupping the side of her head and asked. "Like it here?"  
>"I just told Draco that it is beautiful." Answered Edenia and gently pulled her head away. Bellatrix was way too kind. How kind could a person be once you torture them? How kind could Bellatrix Lestrange be, the woman who kills people without any conscience at all? Edenia was sure that something would happen tonight. Something she didn't want to happen. Something she wanted to run away from, she just had that sort of feelings in her guts. She couldn't help herself but wonder what kind of plan Bellatrix had in mind but she was so sure, so sure that it was something that included a lot of tears and anger. Draco pulled Edenia along and she didn't look back for the slightest of moments, still yet she could feel eyes following them. They came to a halt when the girl spotted Draco's parents in a room and it just didn't feel right to pass by without a word.<p>

"Good evening Misses and Mister Malfoy" Said Edenia and smiled at them. Both of them seemed slightly interrupted but looked back and nodded at her, Narcissa smiled a tad more than Lucius but it still wasn't a lot. It wasn't bad enough to make Edenia feel unwelcome, however and Draco glanced to the left and right before he motioned her along again by wrapping an arm around her shoulder and leading her upstairs into his room. He closed the door and stared down onto the door handle before he inhaled deeply and turned around to her.

"Sit down." He offered and so she did, sitting down on this very comfortable brown couch. He placed himself next to her and both of them noticed the awkwardness invading the scene. Edenia played with some strands of hair, mostly those that Bellatrix tucked back behind her ear earlier, and didn't know what to say even though she tried making a conversation but nothing was interesting enough to state it out loud. Draco took short glances to her every other second; it was obvious he tried to think of something to say, too but he was more successful.

"How…are you?"

Edenia didn't answer. She inhaled deeply and looked away from him. Her eyes wandered out of the window and everything she wished for was to be able to transform into a bird and fly as far as her wings could carry her. Draco nodded when he realized she didn't say anything but that did not mean it wasn't a response at all.

"You said you aren't going back to Hogwarts after today for a while?" Edenia asked and her hands stopped playing with her hair. "Why is it? You seem quite content there…"

Draco scoffed and shook his head, disbelievingly staring around the room.

"No…it's. I have business to tend to. That's all." He explained and had some tone of finality in his voice. Edenia didn't want to let it be at this point though and asked again.  
>"What business?"<br>He was now the one who did not answer. Just like Draco previously knew, Edenia was sure that this sort of response said enough and she didn't further ask anything else.

When everyone sat around the large, with silver decorated table, all the attendants cared to chat a little bit but not excitingly loud. All of them stopped talking suddenly and Edenia didn't understand why but enlightenment came soon. Silence broke into the room when _he_ was gliding inside with ease, almost hovering above the floor while having the hissing serpent following each step. Edenia glanced at him but away again, didn't know how to act but she kept to the behaviour that everyone else showed. Everyone aside from Bellatrix. She jumped up and offered him a seat next to herself but he walked past her and sat down at the very end of the table, a little away from the rest. He grinned once his narrowed eyes spotted Edenia.

"Good evening." He said to her almost in a lecturing tone, as if he didn't agree with the fact that she did not greet him first. Edenia gulped but forced a smile and coughed "Good evening!" but it came out a little too hastily and Bellatrix's chuckle was enough to mock her. He gazed at her intensively, not commenting, not allowing any muscles to twitch when he saw how her cheeks were dyed in red out of embarrassment. She now knew that it could only get better but she was wrong. The dinner was held in a tensed, silent atmosphere.

After everyone was done eating and people were once again tucked in neat and careful conversations, one non-careful question came across Edenia's ears. It was probably for the reason of having this sort of question directed at her, but nevertheless she felt like it wasn't real.  
>"So…which part of your parents is…a muggle?" Asked Lucius in an amused voice. His ring-studded hand clutched around a glass of wine, grinning slightly when Edenia looked at him with a large frown before she caught herself and said lowly. "I don't know."<br>"What do you mean you don't know?" Lucius chuckled and put down the beverage and all the other chattering stopped when everyone's eyes fell on Edenia.  
>"It means that I don't know." She said simply and put down the napkin, showing she wanted this conversation to end.<p>

"Her parents are dead." Informed Bellatrix and Lucius nodded with his mouth gapped open while saying "Ah."  
>"And you never cared enough to find out about your origin?" He then went on. Draco glanced at his father intensively for a couple of seconds but his attention went elsewhere. Edenia didn't look at Lucius when he asked and just acted like she didn't hear it.<p>

"Do not feel ashamed…my child." Cooed the dark voice from across the table. Everyone's attention went there to him and even though Edenia tried her best to not shiver, she felt like she failed miserably at it. She knew, however, that not looking at him could be dangerous.

"I have once told Bellatrix that the best of our families sometimes…make foul decisions." He smirked and patted the serpent's head. "It just happens that one of your parents…made a horrible mistake. And horrible it is, is it not?" He asked across the table, his eyes were piercing through everyone towards Edenia. She knew this question was a mere statement, nothing more and nothing less. Aware of that, she just nodded and opened her lids slowly again, feeling tired of this conversation but she didn't further show it.

"Mistakes cannot be undone, however…worse can be avoided…" He said and that's when Draco's eyes shot towards him first before Edenia did the same. Neither Bellatrix nor Rodolphus said a word and Edenia wondered about this curious fact. _His_ voice interrupted her thoughts.  
>"You are…the production of a foul choice made, my child. You have been betrayed of a better life, you will never be complete…" He grinned and patted the snake's head yet again before adding. "But completeness you shall get…Your lord is allowing second chances to some chosen half-bloods, you see." But what he said sounded like a hiss to Edenia. The conversation was getting worse as it seemed and she gulped lowly, just wondering what it was, that he wanted to say. What was the core of his speech? This was the right moment to ask where he was trying to get at, she couldn't further stop.<p>

"What…what do you mean?" Her timid voice seemed small but audible nonetheless.

"Bellatrix here is very concerned for your well-being." He started and Edenia's eyes wandered to the dark witch who raised an eyebrow with a smirk, moving her shoulders back to the left and right slightly, as if she was getting impatient. Another curious thing was that Rodolphus had a faint smirk plastered on his lips as well. What did they know? Her attention went back to the hissing serpent that slithered around the chair of its owner.  
>"Shhh, Nagini…" He whispered but once Edenia looked at him again, he further explained.<p>

"Upon seeing it with my very own eyes…that you do have some magical talent…even been chosen for the traditions of Slytherin…and a will to preserve those traditions…" He uttered and Edenia's heart started beating faster.  
>"It was decided that you shall receive a chance to clean up the mess produced in your past…of which you are its victim. It was decided…that, by marrying a pureblood…and producing children that again, will marry a pureblood…everything will be back to its traditional, normal shape." He explained and Edenia's mouth gapped open slightly. What did he say? What? Did he? No. Did he just.<br>"And Bellatrix as well as Rodolphus here…have volunteered themselves to make sure this plan will not fall upon deaf ears. They will help you, my child. And I must say I cannot be more pleased. I have rarely seen devotees more loyal than the Lestranges." He glanced towards Lucius, as if he had seen through the fact that Lucius just tried to make a fool out of Edenia's parents in order to please the Dark Lord; whose cold eyes rushed to Edenia yet again. "And you shall follow their very instructions and orders. They are, as of this very second…responsible for you."

He finished his speech at last. This sure wasn't the sort of Christmas present that Edenia wished for.


	11. One of us

**Chapter 10: One of us**

Snow danced down the sky outside. It must have been very cold when the thick layers of white cotton grew bigger, yet the coldness was nothing compared to the atmosphere inside Malfoy Manor. Once dinner was over, Voldemort excused himself and withdrew. Soon, Misses and Mister Malfoy did the same. Draco looked at his aunt and uncle for a couple of seconds and watched them grinning as they drank some wine. Edenia stared to her glass of water in disbelief. Nobody said a word; the only sounds came from the fireplace and its burning wood in the back of the room- until Bellatrix cleared her throat. "Well. What a fine evening, was it not?" She asked and her eyes swept over to Edenia but the latter just bit her bottom lip and kept quiet. Draco glanced back and forth, shook his head and got up. "Come on Edenia. I will show you to your guest room." He said and earned a slight glare from his aunt but he didn't seem to notice or care. Edenia got up and left wordlessly.

The room was quiet and the girl couldn't be more thankful when Draco left without a comment, just wishing her a good night and telling her he would be seeing her in the morning. She sat in front of the black Victorian vanity and brushed her hair, looking into the mirror's reflection and felt like she did not know the girl sitting there, imitating the movements. She was her own stranger. Half an hour passed and Edenia sat where she was, staring into the mirror until she could see the door handle pushing down and in walked Bellatrix. Edenia watched her through the mirror but did not turn around to the dark witch, not even when she strode over to her with that victorious smirk drawn on her face; the same smirk she carried ever since the Dark Lord made the life-changing announcement. She sat down behind Edenia on another stool, pulled the girl's hair behind and grabbed the hair brush as she began to tend to Edenia's head quietly. The minutes passed and Bellatrix started braiding the girl's hair, then turned her around and kissed her forehead.

"Don't you worry. Rod and I will take good care of you..." She grinned and looked down to Edenia's bottom lip that twitched in discomfort.  
>"Why...?" She whimpered and her voice was shaking and tiny, almost not audible, and if Bellatrix had not been as close as she was, she would not have heard it.<br>"I fear you are close to becoming one of those twigs we once talked about, dear. And I cannot let this happen under my very nose, can I? I will take over everything that is your future now. Everything shall happen on my will and command. And you will listen."  
>"I...I am not a pet...!" Edenia squeaked and tried to turn away but Bellatrix grabbed her hair and pulled her back to where she was.<br>"You are mine now. Mine to take care of. I can do with you as I please. You have heard the Dark Lord." Whispered Bellatrix dangerously, narrowing her eyes and Edenia knew something else was going to come now.  
>"We will start right away with the rules. First off. You will never ever talk back to neither Rod nor I. You will abandon that attitude of yours and be a good girl. You will not see any of those miserable friends, let alone look at blood traitors! You will not go out without permission and someone trusted close to you. You will do as we expect from you, have I made myself clear?" Asked Bellatrix and raised an eyebrow, daring Edenia to protest.<br>"Also." She continued. "You are to never be disloyal to the Dark Lord...again. Should I, once more, find out that you have done it...we will get there, Missy..." She growled now, the fire brooding in the back of her throat. Edenia's eyes just widened.  
>"Blaise told you..." She uttered and glanced to the side. Bellatrix merely looked down at her in passive aggression and Edenia knew now that this could not go unpunished. She bit her bottom lip, trying to suppress the tears and squeaked softly when the grip in her hair tightened.<br>"Torture me if you must!" Yelped Edenia but Bellatrix laughed.  
>"No. I will not. That did not work." She grinned but her eyes clearly told that she had something better in stock. It took some time to understand but it hit the girl and then her eyes widened and she jumped up. "Where is Blaise! I...! I thought you would kill him once you have learned that he...he...touched me! I thought! I thought he was gone because...because you did something I..." Edenia cried and blabbered fast, the thoughts in her head were flying around and she was unable to grab and arrange them. Bellatrix laughed even harder. She looked up to Edenia in amusement.<br>"Ah! I wanted to finish him, baby...when I found him, ready to kill him...he had some very nice information for me...oh I was so disappointed in you...here I thought you truly learned your lesson..." The dark witch now got up and cupped Edenia's head, holding it in her hands. She leaned closer and whispered against the girl's lips. "And then...I told him...to find the red head...and not come back until he hadn't killed the filth..." Edenia gasped and her eyes almost exploded. She tried to reach the door but Bellatrix cackled and pushed her backwards so she fell onto the bed and cried, talking gibberish in between her tears but nothing was comprehensible. The dark witch just guffawed and crawled over to her little toy, cuddling down against her while playing with her hair.

"Shhh..." She purred and massaged Edenia's scalp by running her fingers along her head. "Traitors aren't worth your tears. Oh it will take some time changing you...but you will see. Look at me. Edenia! Look at me. They do not have a future. Not with the Dark Lord. Not as long as I stand! Leave them in your past!" She demanded as if she expected Edenia to nod and agree right away. The girl just sniffled, thick droplets of tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn't understand why these things were happening. Whatever she tried, everything just got worse.

"Bella..." Edenia suddenly whimpered. She turned around and looked into the dark witch's eyes, searching for some warmth and comfort in them. "Why...why are you so...so evil...?" She asked, still crying bitterly. Bellatrix just stared at her for a couple of seconds, continuously running her hand through Edenia's hair before she finally answered.  
>"See, that is what happens when you hang around the wrong people. They tell you we are the evil ones. They tell you we are wrong." She kissed Edenia's forehead by now but the girl tried again. "They are human beings, too-"<br>"But we are better human beings than them, dear. And we must preserve the elite for we are endangered to die out. We are merely fighting back after all the attacks that our kin had to endure..." Bellatrix whispered and pulled Edenia closer again but the latter said "I am no elite! If elite is what needs to be preserved and being elite means pure...I am not...I-"  
>"You have heard what the Dark Lord said! You heard it! You will marry a pureblood! And you will have children! They will marry purebloods! They will have children and they too marry purebloods! It will go on! Until the blood is clean again! Do you see now? See now how much trouble a single Mudblood is?! How many purebloods have to sacrifice themselves in order to cleanse a family again?!" She hissed and Edenia shook her head. This was sheer insanity. How did this make sense to them?<br>"But that is...is not how biology works! It's just a theory! There is no such thing as dirty blood! It's a construct! Blood isn't something that can be cleaned! This is biologically imposs-"  
>"Enough with that muggle nonsense!" Yelled Bellatrix and her grip on Edenia's hair tightened. Naked anger was spread across the dark witch's features, making her even darker. She gaped into Edenia's eyes intensively, as if she waited on another wrong tone but nothing aside from sobbing was audible.<p>

The moments passed and Edenia felt tired, all the crying and negative emotions sucked the energy out of her, energy that she needed to stay awake. She looked around the room drowsily and noticed that the door opened yet again. Rodolphus Lestrange walked inside and exchanged looks with his wife but Edenia didn't see what kind of looks. He sat down by the edge of the bed and watched his newly gained daughter-like student curling up underneath the blanket and tried to block herself from the Lestranges but of course that was doomed to failure.  
>"Well. We can stay until tomorrow, I suppose." He grumbled and Bellatrix nodded. Edenia glanced at them, not knowing what he meant. He seemed to understand, judging by her questioningly gaze.<br>"We will go home. Bella and I live elsewhere." He informed and Edenia rubbed her eyes while saying "I thought you live here at Malfoy manor…because of…_him_…" She said and Bellatrix nodded. "Yes, until today. But now that we have you…we will return to our own manor. Don't worry. We have been taking care of everything."  
>"You must have planned it for some time, huh…" mumbled Edenia and Rodolphus smirked. "Well, it was Bella's idea some days ago and I quite liked it. We never had a daughter. This is the closest we can get to something like that." He brushed some strands of hair away from her face so he could look at the girl. Bellatrix grinned and watched but said nothing when Rodolphus got up to leave the room quietly, then snuggled down to Edenia and kissed above her temple while declaring. "Life will change a bit for you. Of course it has to. Tell me baby. Where were you staying after Hogwarts? After the year was over, hm?" she asked and rubbed a hand through Edenia's hair again. The girl tried to look for a story quickly. She could not tell Bellatrix the truth.<br>"With a cousin here in the wizarding world." She said and Bellatrix inhaled deeply, pursing her lips sharply and shook her head. "You have one minute to tell the truth."  
>Edenia gulped. How did she know that it was a lie? Was she so obvious? Or was Bellatrix perhaps, and now that Edenia thought about it unsurprisingly, able to use Legilimency? On any note, she knew that lying was no option anymore and so she had to tell the truth.<br>"In the muggle world in a flat-sharing-community, it is called."  
>"What is that supposed to be?" Frowned Bellatrix and rested on her elbow now, looking at the girl.<br>"Well at some point a child is too old to stay in the orphanage and when they are mature enough, they can go live on their own with other people that have a similar background. Every once in a while there is a community-worker looking after us. Other than that, we are quite free. I mean…of course we have to stick to rules but it is okay." Bellatrix's eyes widened, not finding it okay at all.  
>"What! What kind of insane concept is that?!" She growled and the word insane was simply ironic coming out of her mouth, Edenia thought. The girl just shrugged and answered.<br>"I met nice people there. They are my best friends now."  
>"What people!" Demanded Bellatrix.<br>"Two guys and a girl. Well two girls including me."  
>"YOU LIVED WITH TWO MEN UNDER ONE ROOF AND NOBODY WAS THERE TO WATCH OVER YOU?!" Bellatrix screeched up in sheer wrath before announcing. "Filthy muggles! Uneducated pack! You are to never see them again! You will never set a foot into the muggle world! Ever! Again!"<br>Edenia knew this would happen, which was why she did not even want to tell Bellatrix where she truly stayed all the time, whenever the year was over. Lowering her head, defeat radiated from her very being and Bellatrix recognized it as such, pulled her closer and kissed her cheek a couple of times on the same spot.  
>"Sleep now, dear. Tomorrow…your new life will begin." Declared Bellatrix and got up. She stared down at the girl for some seconds but then walked off with a content look on her face. Edenia heard a click and she was sure that the door wasn't only closed but locked. She did not bother thinking of a way out; aware there was none without a wand at hand. With these thoughts, she trailed off to sleep.<p>

"_Hahahah! We got her! We got her! Look! Ginny is dead! She is dead! Hahah! Now what do you say? Blood-Traitors! They will die, they will all die! Yes Blaise, that's right. Of course you can marry Edenia, you are a pureblood. Draco? What do you want here?"_

"Edenia. Hey, Edenia. Wake up…Pssst…hey …" Opening her eyes, Edenia looked around and glanced at Draco. Wasn't Blaise here a couple of seconds ago and wasn't Bellatrix announcing their wedding? Looking around yet again, she realized it was all just a stupid dream. But Draco? What was he doing here?  
>"Hmm?" Asked Edenia drowsily, rubbing her eyes.<br>"Shh…don't be so loud. Are…are you okay?"  
>"Okay…hah…" She chuckled derisively, shaking her head. "No, I am not okay. What time is it?"<br>"It's almost four in the morning."  
>"Four in the morning? What's up…?"<br>"I came to talk to you. Because you will leave early later…Mother told me. I had no other chance but to do it now. Look…what. What do you think..." He started and sat down on her bed while Edenia sat up as well, attentively looking into his eyes or trying with the shrill light of Draco's wand.  
>"Nobody will rest until you marry a pureblood. That plan, you know…" He continued and Edenia sighed with a heavy nod, lowering her head a little.<br>"Look…I thought if. I mean. What if we just…? You know? You and I? It makes sense, doesn't it?"  
>Edenia stared at him in disbelief. Did he truly say what she thought he just said?<br>"Are you proposing to me, Malfoy?" Asked Edenia with eyes as round as marbles.  
>"Well! No…In a sense, probably… it's just…would you prefer to be forced to marry someone else?" He asked defiantly and crossed his arms.<br>"It's not like I want to marry at all, you know?" She sighed and ran her hand along her forehead in stress.  
>"They are probably going to force you go with someone worse!" He spluttered out through his whispering sounds and Edenia frowned back.<br>"You slapped me. Remember?" She asked and his eyes softened, widened, then narrowed again.  
>"I had to…you kept…kept doing what you wanted, Edenia. You see where doing whatever you want gotten you, see it? Had only you listened when we said you should. See where you are now…It's best. If you just…did as I said. For once." He put his hand on her shoulder gently, trying to comfort her or stress the point that he was doing the right thing but Edenia just shook her head in even more disbelief.<br>"You and I. Will not. Marry." She declared with a determined tone and Draco bit his bottom lip again before saying with as much determination.  
>"Yes we are. It makes sense. Trust me. I will tell Mom and Dad tomorrow. That I want to do it."<br>"You will not! You are just doing it to get on good terms with the Dark Lord again, right? So he sees how ambitious you are! How selfish…You don't do this because you want to help me!" She squeaked softly, trying to remain quiet but it was hard. Draco glanced to the left and right.  
>"Shh! Of course it helps you, too! You just don't see it. You never see it!" He got up as well; both of them were facing each other now. Draco bit his bottom lip, shook his head once more before he suddenly pulled her against his body, trying to kiss her but Edenia gasped and slipped away at the right moment, dashed towards the door and out. She ran down the large corridor, hearing Draco calling out for her. "EDENIA! STOP!"<p>

"What's the noise?!" Came a voice from a door next to where Draco stood after running a few meters, Bellatrix was standing there in her nightgown and saw her nephew pointing ahead to a running figure that aimed downstairs. She gasped and dashed on after her, yelling in her fury.  
>"EDENIA! YOU COME BACK RIGHT NOW!" She ran as fast as she could but Edenia was already close to the fireplace in the dining room. Taking a last glance backwards, she saw Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Draco running towards her and Bella's last screams before green flames engulfed her body.<p>

"TRAITOR! YOU WILL NEVER BE ONE OF US!" 


	12. Muggle World

**Chapter 11: Muggle World**

The darkness of the abandoned library that Edenia landed in was less scary than Bellatrix's anger-filled eyes. She saw how the dark witch wanted to jinx the girl but was too slow. She saw the wish to kill in those black orbs. And was scared, so scared that Bellatrix could follow her. Not knowing if there was any possible way to find out about the latest destination of the flee-network, she quickly ran out of the rotten building and through the dark park that would lead her away. Edenia had nowhere else to stay; she had to return to the Muggle world. She wanted to go after Blaise, stopping him from killing Ginny but whenever Edenia tried to make things okay, they just turned out worse. Maybe Draco was right and she was one of the reasons why everything was the way it is right now. She did not want to be a threat for Ginny nor anyone else for that matter. She did not want to make things worse yet again. So all the girl now tried was to make sure to forget her past as a witch and hope that a living in the muggle world would not be all too painful.

She ran faster and faster, her black dress was flying in the wind, her shoes in her hands as she speeded up yet again and saw it; home. Storming up, she rang the doorbell like a maniac, knocking and knocking over again until the light turned on and Edenia could take a glimpse through the white door's window.  
>"Nia?! What are you doing here?!" Gasped a tall, handsome man with dark fringy hair and light eyes once the door opened. He frowned greatly when Edenia collapsed into his arms and sobbed, crying her heart out while being dragged inside.<br>"Oh god! Shhh! Shhh! What happened? Nia you scare me! What happened?!"  
>"What's the noise? Oi!" Another guy with a messy mid-brown hairdo and green eyes walked into the living room, smoking a cigarette. He let it drop on an instant when he spotted Edenia.<br>"What happened?! Tyle?!" He rushed forward and knelt down to Edenia next to them. Both men were trying to comfort their friend but it was to no use. Edenia didn't know where to start, all the pictures and horrible things came into her mind the second she entered the house. Tyle pulled her up into his lap and rocked her backwards and forwards a little, like a baby, trying to comfort her to the best of his abilities.  
>"Alex...Go fix some tea, will you...and then wake Emily." Alex did so after picking up the cigarette that started to burn a hole into the dark blue carpet, washed his hands and while the tea cooked, walked off. Edenia whimpered, clung to Tyle and cried bitterly, just less audible than before.<br>"Oh Nia...what did they do to you..." He asked and rubbed a hand through her hair but she ripped her head away. "Don't! Don't! They always did that! She always did that! He! All of them! My hair! Always...whenever I didn't do things right! Always my hair, ripped it! Touched my head! Always..." She whimpered and cried, wanting to go on but Tyle just pushed her against his firm chest. "Shhh. They will never hurt you again. I promise."  
>He smiled assuringly and looked over to the heavy blonde female that panicky walked inside the room. She gasped and ran over to Edenia.<br>"Nia...it's me. Are you okay? Please talk to us..." She reached out to pat Edenia's head but Tyle shook his head hastily and mouthed "don't".  
>It took the lot about three hours before they got their friend to finally talk about everything. And Edenia did, not leaving out a single information.<p>

"What a crazy bitch! What a fucking crazy bitch!" Yelled Emily in fury, shaking her head.  
>"Would love to meet that punk ass idiot Blaise. You talked about him once, right, Nia?" Asked Alex and lightened up another cigarette, the sixth ever since Edenia started with the unnerving story, before saying. "Will kick his ass when I see that bastard."<br>"And Draco...what had gotten into him. You always got along..." Said Tyle and sighed softly.

"But of course. Voldemort...he becomes a real threat..."  
>"Ah come on! He's far away in whatever world. He will come here with that and people will laugh at him! And shoot him on an instant!" Chuckled Alex but nobody else seemed amused. Emily stretched out her arms and hugged Edenia gently.<br>"Do you want to sleep? Sleep in my bed. You must be tired." Upon everyone thinking Edenia would refuse to sleep, she got up and walked on ahead and Emily followed, tucking her friend into the bed and wishing her a good night.

It must have been almost a full day but nobody saw Edenia for a very long time. She did not eat and barely drank anything. She would sometimes wake up and cry and somebody had to comfort her again before going back to sleep. The three friends sat in the living room for hours and hours and talked about how they could help Edenia but nothing enlightened their mind.

"Em! Can't you hurry? I'm starving right here..." Whined Alex as he laid down a card. "Hah. Got your ass." He grinned at Tyle who kept quiet and put down another card that turned Alex's smile upside down.  
>"I'm already trying, okay?" Sighed Emily and glanced at the poker game, giggling slightly.<br>"Hey! Don't you laugh! Tend to the food!" Huffed Alex yet again and Emily just laughed harder while adding spaghetti into boiling water. She glanced over towards a distinctive door every now and then, eyes filled with worry.  
>"She will have to eat now. She didn't eat a single thing since she came back."<br>"I'll check on her." Said Tyle and got up. Alex grumbled lowly when he saw he lost the game anyway once he could take a glimpse into Tyle's cards and watched his friend reaching towards the door but just when Tyle was about to walk inside the room, it opened and Edenia stepped out weakly with messy hair and dark shadows under her eyes.  
>"We were about to come and get you." Smiled Tyle and rubbed her shoulders gently. Edenia walked on over to the fridge, got herself something to drink and wanted to walk back again but Alex was having none of that.<p>

"No. You will eat something, Nia. Think! Your health!" He frowned and lit up his fifth cigarette in a row. Emily raised an eyebrow sarcastically at him but turned to Edenia and said. "I made pasta with spinach and cheese. It's my first attempt. Will you try it and tell me, on a scale one to ten how much I failed?" She chuckled and Edenia's mouth twitched slightly in a halfway smile. She opened her mouth and Emily shoved in some of the food and saw how Edenia held up a ten with eyes widened when her taste buds recognized the flavour.  
>"Ten! I'm such a beast, Whoo-yeah!" Emily cheered, put down plates for everyone and Alex was the first one to jump up from the couch and walk over to the table but he did not sit down until he saw Edenia coming, too. Tyle held out his hand to her and she took it carefully and sat down as well.<p>

"Ten she said? This deserves a seven at best. Would be a lot better with some steak. And...less pasta." Grinned Alex and Emily rolled her eyes.  
>"It's your turn to cook tomorrow! Can't wait to rate it a zero."<br>"Oh you will not rate my food a zero!"  
>"Will do!" Emily cheered and Tyle just sighed softly but with a faint smile as he rubbed Edenia's shoulder gently.<br>She glanced around everyone and for some moments, felt like there was no better place on earth to be.

When Edenia woke up the other day, she noticed some wrapped up packages next to her nightstand. She smiled softly and remembered, of course, Christmas-time was not over. It felt so warm, even when she had no idea what everyone had gotten for her but she didn't care, just the mere thought of knowing they wanted to make her smile indeed made her smile. She sat up and rubbed her eyes gently, yawned and stared at three packages. Even by the way they were wrapped she could tell who they were from. She pulled out the pink box with a black bow and giggled softly when she opened it, inside were earmuffs with a panda face on each side and Edenia downright loved it. Emily always knew how to make her smile. She then grabbed the next one, a rather small package that was a little damaged. The paper was slightly ripped but plastered together with duct tape and needless to say it was from Alex. Edenia laughed when she stared at it and couldn't stop laughing for the next two minutes, unable to open it but she finally managed to get a grip on herself and pull out a necklace that had a Nintendo-charm dangling from it. Edenia loved playing games and the necklace was cooler than any necklace she ever had. She giggled softly at it and took the next package that was wrapped up neatly in dark blue paper and no other embellishment. Tyle was always very elegant. She opened it carefully and pulled out a very wide and silky black scarf that looked like Edenia's newest fashion-must-have. With her heart all warm and fuzzy, she jumped up and walked on out into the open kitchen/living room/dining room area and smiled at her friends that were enjoying some tea.  
>"Thank you all" She walked over to them and hugged everyone but sighed softly.<br>"I got your presents at Hogwarts…" She lowered her head a little but they all shook their heads.  
>"Our present is here with us." Said Tyle and Edenia's eyes filled with tears of joy.<p>

The days passed and New Year's Eve was up. The friends sat outside on a hill, Edenia's head on Tyle's shoulder while Alex tried to rest on Emily's shoulder but the latter pushed him away with a laugh. They all held hands together when the year turned and Edenia knew all the bad things were now in the past; the future was ahead of them, of her. With a smile, she sipped on her tea and felt content about herself and the world and every living being in it. She inhaled the fresh air of change and was sure good times would be coming. With a gentle movement she saw a blanket draped around her; Tyle threw it over themselves and pulled her just a tad closer.  
>They walked back inside after a couple of minutes and Alex was preparing the Raclette grill while Emily put down all the tiny bits of food to fill the small pans with, and of course lots of cheese for Edenia. They ate together while good music played in the background and the conversations shared were funny and light. Edenia noticed how much she missed it. Everything was simply harmonic and nothing could have changed her mind on that - until the door flung open and Edenia jumped up and screamed loudly, causing everyone to gasp and do the same.<br>"For god's sake! Nia!" Coughed Alex, almost suffocating on the half-chewed food that stuck in his throat.  
>"It's only Patty." Said Tyle and chuckled when a dark skinned woman with short black hair held up her hands and laughed. "Now what was that supposed to be, eh?"<br>"Sorry..." Squeaked Edenia and rubbed her forearm slightly while Emily took over rubbing her shoulder and whispered that it was okay and that Patty just wanted to check on everyone.

Patty, actually Patricia, but always called Patty was the social worker for this community-sharing-apartment and she of course had a key to enter the house. She sat down with everyone and rubbed her head. "I thought you were staying at school during Christmas and New Year?"  
>"I changed my mind." Smiled Edenia lightly. She didn't want to discuss the matter with Patty, however, and averted her attention to the food. Patty nodded and smiled but got up again.<br>"Alright just wanted to check on you lot and wish you a happy new yeeeaaar. And! Don't do stupid things, hear me? Alex! Could you please look at me when I'm saying this?" She sighed and put her hands to her hips while Alex laughed.  
>"Do you not want to stay and have something to eat, too?" Asked Emily and Patty shook her head. "No, no I'm all stuffed. I'll be going home now sweethearts. See you all next week!" She smiled heartily and everyone waved. Edenia, however, sighed heavily when the door closed but Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer in a buddy-like way.<br>"Don't worry. You are a bit jumpy after all of those things. But we are here to protect you! Nothing will happen. Besides. They don't even know where you live. Do they?"  
>Edenia shook her head. "I don't think they do." And she forced a smile but giggled when Alex ruffled through her hair and made it all messy.<p>

Another hour of monopoly-gaming passed and everyone started to feel tired. Emily was the first one to get up and wish them a good night, followed by Alex. Tyle was the next one; he looked at Edenia and declared.  
>"I'm going to bed Nia. Come on, you should rest, too." But Edenia shook her head with a gentle smile. "No, go ahead. I'll clean up."<br>"We can all do that tomorrow, together. We-"  
>"It helps distracting me..." She confessed and lowered her head slightly. He walked over to her and looked down to the smaller figure, pulled her into a hug and said "give the wounds time to heal". Edenia nodded and wiped away some tears that sneaked out of her eyes without being noticed and slightly angry about it, she let go of Tyle and started scrubbing the plates. He sighed softly but he knew, right now, that she needed to be to herself and herself only for a bit, and he let her.<p> 


	13. Visit

**Chapter 12: Visit **

Weeks passed. And a few more weeks. More. Until it was almost February and Edenia was not too sure if she had adjusted as much as she could have.  
>She glanced around the large apartment they lived in; it was rather empty while everyone else was at work. Emily worked as an apprentice nurse and had her exams coming up really soon, which was why everything was full of notes everywhere. Alex got in trouble when he once came home from work and had black oil smears on his fingers that he accidentally put on some of Emily's copies and she didn't talk to him for the rest of the day, cussing about how chaotic he was but he just responded that life as a mechatronics engineer would be including oil. Tyle of course tried to sort out the argument as the lawyer-to-be that he was, currently studying in Cambridge, but Emily wasn't one to listen a lot when enraged. Everyone was busy, having a job and Edenia felt really useless. She highlighted some available positions in the newspaper but none of them appeared interesting enough. With a deep sigh, she got up and walked over to the stove and grabbed some leftovers from yesterday evening and turned on the TV while eating. Her head spun over to the door when Alex walked in and greeted her happily.<br>"Hey Nia."  
>"Heh Alex. How was work?"<br>"Fine, got a half day off earlier." He quickly washed his hands before something could be touched that encouraged his downfall but then noticed more stains on himself and said "I'll better take a shower. See you later."  
>"See you." Edenia snickered and stretched on the couch, feeling very comfortable.<br>Ring. Ring.  
>Edenia's head swivelled towards the door once more. She put the plate down and sighed, thinking one of them forgot their keys again. But it was none of the usual friendly faces when she opened the door. Edenia's eyes widened and she was about to close the door on an instant out of shock but it was stopped by a hand covered in a black leather-glove.<p>

"Edenia. Please..." Said Narcissa Malfoy, accompanied by her son Draco and of course her sister Bellatrix Lestrange, who had her arms crossed and eyes narrowed, nostrils were flaring. She tried a great deal to remain calm and not lunge out at the girl. Narcissa seemed troubled and Draco tried to avoid looking at Edenia directly.  
>"Listen..." Narcissa tried again and Bellatrix snorted.<br>"We really should not do this, Cissy! Let alone with the traitor here!" But her sister did not listen. Edenia's arms crossed and she stared at them while leaning against the doorframe. Bella tried peeping inside the apartment but the girl blocked her view by closing the door a tad more with a stern look on her face before her eyes rested on the blond woman again as she spoke.

"You have no idea what is going on at home, Edenia...everyone. Is...Is going mad..." Narcissa started but Edenia scoffed sarcastically at that. She noticed they are mad. Bellatrix growled and Narcissa sucked in her lips while tears streamed down her face and she went on.  
>"We are on war and...And the wizarding world is not safe, we..." She tried to hold back the tears while she played around with Draco's collar, keeping on fixing and pulling it up again while she continued stammering and explaining.<br>"He sent Draco...to do dangerous things, things that could get him killed! Edenia...you...you were friends, please...I..." She bit her bottom lip and Bellatrix grumbled.  
>"And now she asks you to hide the coward."<br>"My son is no coward!" Bellowed Narcissa through gritted teeth and Bellatrix rolled her eyes and looked away.  
>"The missions are too complicated...he would die on an instant, I know it. This time he can't count on...on someone I once counted on...I...you are my last hope..." She sniffled and wiped away the tears with a handkerchief that had the Black family's crest on it. Edenia watched her calmly and could not imagine someone else falling from grace as much as she did. Bellatrix had her face turned away and watched the surrounding with her nose wrinkling up in disgust every once in a while. Narcissa then cleared her throat and went to say something again but was interrupted.<br>"How do you even know he is safe here…?" Demanded Edenia coldly.  
>"He won't come here...into the muggle world…muggles don't interest the Dark Lord anymore...he's safer here than with us..."<br>"But what do you tell him when he asks for Draco's service?"  
>"You let us worry about that!" Spat Bellatrix, trying to restrain herself from using her wand on the girl. Narcissa dabbed her tears away again and croaked.<br>"I know...I know you loathe us for...for what we have done to you and...Your friends. But..." "You are right." Said Edenia suddenly and narrowed her eyes. Bellatrix spun her head towards the girl and Narcissa's eyes widened. Edenia was about to say something but a shout from the back of the room caused everyone to turn their eyes there.

"IS THAT THE CRAZY PACK?! HOW DARE YOU STAND BEFORE EDENIA AND ASK HER TO HELP YOU! DISGUSTING FREAKS!" Came Alex rushing towards the door, ripping it open widely but Bellatrix had her wand already pointed at him. Edenia screamed and stood before him, blocking him while Alex tried to get around her and continued provoking the dark witch.  
>"Come at me then, bitch! Come at me!" He yelled but Edenia pushed him back and turned to him with her face, trying anything.<br>"STOP IT! Knock it off!" She hissed at him but Alex had already pulled out something else; something silver; metal looking. The witches looked at Alex, not exactly knowing what the thing was he was holding up.  
>"Step aside Nia! Step aside! I'll shoot that bitch!"<br>"No! You will not! We won't sink so low! Now put the gun away before someone else sees it!" She glared at him, then glared back at the others and nodded.  
>"You are right. You have always been right." She said. Narcissa sniffled again and lowered her head; Bellatrix kept alerted but did not say anything.<br>"I will never be one of you. I am not like you. I will help." Edenia spoke through gritted teeth, then grabbed Draco's arm and pulled him inside the house and closed the door on their faces with a loud thud.

The level of awkwardness could not have been explained when Draco stood there with his bag. Nothing was audible for a couple of moments but Alex growled and rushed at Draco and pushed him against the wall with a firm grip on the collar of his shirt. Edenia tried to pry him off but Alex was well built as he and Tyle visited the gym on a regular basis.  
>"Alex! Don't! I said don't! We are better than that! We don't have to kill anyone!"<br>"Who said I wanted to kill this bug right here, huh? Even though I'm itching to do it!" He growled and Draco just stared at him in shock when Alex spoke through gritted teeth.  
>"One false move, buddy...I'll be awake when Nia sleeps...I'll be watching you! Anytime! You touch her again and I'll make you and your stupid family pay for everything!" He then let go of him and Draco slid down the wall and sat on the floor with his eyes turned away in shame. Edenia inhaled deeply but she could not help herself but to feel sorry for Draco. Alex glared, looked at Edenia but she sighed softly and shrugged.<p>

"I don't understand why you help them!" Alex then exclaimed, throwing his arms as he continued. "They made you suffer! Caused you so much pain! So much insane pain! And you know what you little punk?!" His head turned to Draco and he yelled "She can't even get help here in our world! She can't go to a therapist! Can't ask them to heal her! Because the wounds you caused cannot be talked about here in our world! They will think she is crazy and put her away! She will have to live with all the scars! And she can't heal while you and your stupid-" "Alex! Enough! Please!"  
>"Why do you help them?! What did they ever do to deserve help?!"<br>"I help them. Because. I am not. Like them. I help him because I just know it is the right thing to do. Because I can't stand to see someone suffer. Unlike them...!"  
>"Edenia! I never...I never wanted to hurt you..." Draco suddenly croaked out and buried his head in his hands and ripped on his hair in desperation. Alex glared.<br>"But you did! You even slapped her! Stalked her! She told me!"  
>"When I did that...that slap...I stopped terrorizing her...I stopped because...I couldn't...I didn't want to hurt her anymore! But Blaise wouldn't stop, no matter how much I tried to persuade him...!" He looked at Edenia when he said it and she knelt down to his level.<br>"Alex...can you leave us alone for a bit?"  
>"What?!"<br>"Please..."  
>Alex inhaled deeply but nodded, however he pointed his index and middle finger to his eyes and then to Draco, indicating that he is watching, but then walked off.<br>"He is very protective of me, you see." Said Edenia softly as she sat next to Draco against the wall.  
>"We are his only family. Me and two more people. You will meet them later.<br>"Are...are they like him?" Draco asked with eyes slightly widened but Edenia chuckled and shook her head. "Consider yourself lucky you got over the worst..."  
>"He...he calls you Nia." He stated and played with his hands a little.<br>"Are you...dating?" He went on and Edenia chuckled and shook her head.  
>"No. No we aren't dating. He's a very good friend. He has a good heart. But he's too..." "Explosive?" Draco asked and Edenia snickered again. "Right."<p>

After having a cup of tea together, they heads turned towards the door. Emily and Tyle both walked inside and greeted the unknown blonde with a friendly face. Emily walked on over to him, smiling brightly as always as she stretched out her hand.  
>"Hey! I'm Emily. Have you been here before?" Draco glanced to Edenia for a second, forced a smile that ended up in a grimace and shook her hand quickly.<br>"Em...he's. Well." Edenia started. "You do know him. From my stories. It's Draco."  
>"Draco!" She gasped and pulled her hand away, her smile vanished and Tyle's eyes widened.<br>"What is he doing here?!" She yelled and turned around to Edenia. Tyle stood there rested against the wall with his arms crossed but spotted a bag and said. "Seems like he will stay for a while, huh..."

"Look, Alex already had his flip-a-shit on him...he needs my help and-"  
>"Where was he when you needed his help!?"<br>"Close, Emily...always close. Please...don't put more pressure on us than we already have." "Yeah! Right! You expect me to be fine with that?! What kind of a friend would I be?"  
>"A friend that trusts me and my decisions. Okay?"<br>Tyle and Emily both sighed.  
>"Just don't expect me to be best friends with him..." She grumbled and walked off. Tyle stared at Draco for a couple of seconds, then at Edenia, said nothing and walked away as well. Draco remained quiet, closed his eyes and massaged his left eyebrow a bit.<br>"I'm sorry..."  
>"No. No it's okay. I deserve it, Edenia...I..." He squinted his eyes shut and massaged the bridge of his nose now; sheer stress took control of his body.<p>

"How did you even know where I was?" Asked Edenia and held out a cup of tea for him that he gladly took.  
>"My mother found out. She talked to my father about it and that's where Bellatrix accidentally overheard their conversation. My mom didn't want Bellatrix to know it...she. Didn't want to put you in more danger...knowing what Bellatrix would do..."<br>Edenia sighed now. She was so mean to Narcissa earlier. She too, was dragged into things she never wanted to be dragged in. And could never break out.  
>"Bellatrix must have been going on a rampage..." Mumbled Edenia.<br>"Can't describe it." Shuddered Draco suddenly and went on. "When she saw you leaving...she said the next time she sees you, she will be the last thing you see. She tried to find out where you are ever since but nobody knew how to get to you"  
>"How did your mother find out?"<br>"Snape." He said briefly. But Edenia didn't know what he meant until it hit her.  
>"Holy cow! Of course...he knows my address as the new headmaster...I didn't even think so far! I put all my friends in danger!" She almost cried but Draco shook his head.<br>"Don't worry...Mom was first. Bellatrix was way too distracted looking for you in our world. Well...of course the Dark Lord heard about you leaving the other day and you can guess what he wants, right?"  
>"He wants me dead..." Whispered Edenia more to herself. Draco said nothing but that said enough. He changed the subject instead.<br>"Bellatrix killed off a couple of students at Hogwarts whenever someone disobeyed her. Second-years mostly, I doubt we know any of them...She is extremely agitated ever since you are gone...but she had to swear to mother not to hurt you...because you are our last hope. Of course Bellatrix wanted to hear none of that. She called mother a traitor and that she had allied with traitors. But then she somehow agreed not to hurt you."  
>"Probably until my help is not needed any longer..." Grumbled Edenia and sighed softly. Until another question came into her mind.<br>"Is...is Blaise back? Did he...kill Ginny?"  
>"He's back…He told me that Bellatrix put that mission on him. But he said he never found Ginny. So he lied to Bellatrix and told her that she is dead, thinking she will never appear at Hogwarts or anywhere near a Death Eater again anyway."<br>"Thank goodness..." Edenia exhaled and leaned back.

"Edenia?"  
>"Hmm?"<br>"Thank you."


	14. Three Months

**Chapter 13: Three months**

Chilly days passed and still yet, Draco warmed up a bit. The others ignored him most of the times. Most of the times. Alex was still very rude and commented everything about Draco in a degrading manner. The only time for him to breathe was when everyone had to work. Unfortunately it was Sunday and everyone stayed at home but luckily enough in their rooms while Edenia just gave Draco a crash-course on the most important muggle artefacts and terms that they came across but there was this one particular thing that Draco just did not understand.

"Explain this again please."  
>"It's a Computer. And it is connected to what we call Internet. You have to imagine the Internet like...some sort of space where people can go while actually staying where they are. There is so much you can do; I couldn't explain it with a couple of words. For example, we can go shopping, stay in touch with friends all over the world and send messages to them within seconds or research on whatever we want, the Internet is like an open world without boundaries...to most people at least." Said Edenia and Draco just shook his head in disbelief when he looked at the large screen and the keyboard.<br>"Wait, did you say shop?!"  
>"Yes. There are websites where you can buy things depending on what you are looking for. Tyle is always buying music online and well, Alex gets music too...just...in a different way." She sighed when she thought of that one time when Alex had to pay a lot of money because of illegal downloading. Draco only seemed even more confused but that's when Edenia decided to not further talk about it. Instead, she asked.<p>

"Are you hungry? We could order some food. I think it's my turn to cook but I really don't want to."  
>"How do you order food?" Draco frowned and scratched his head but Edenia held up a device. "With a telephone. Hold on, I'll get a card." She got up and walked over to Alex because he hoarded all of them.<br>"Ordering again? Come on Nia, you always order when it's your turn to cook." Said Tyle as he walked on out of his room once Edenia knocked and informed him, doing the same with Emily.  
>"Actually we could be ordering all week! Who cares! Better than some lame pasta..." Smirked Alex at Emily but she just huffed and didn't comment.<br>"We could pick Paulo's Pizza Palace today." Alex spoke.  
>"No we had Paulo's lasts time!" Whined Emily and suggested instead "I'm up for something Mexican. Anyone?" but nobody gave an encouraged response.<br>"Edenia. You choose." Said Tyle and all of them sat down on the couch.  
>"Hmm..." She thought a bit and looked at Draco. "Is there something specific you want?"<br>"I'm fine with eating anything, really." He said and Alex tried to swallow a nasty comment but seemed surprisingly calm when Draco too suggested picking Paulo's because it sounded interesting.

About half an hour later, the food arrived all fresh and hot and the lot was still comfortable on the couch, not bothering to sit at the table. Alex got himself a family sized pizza with way too much pepperoni spread all over it and slapped Emily's hand away that tried to reach for a piece when she didn't seem too satisfied with her salad which was a part of her diet. Draco and Edenia both shared a large Margarita and Tyle decided to have some risotto.

"And then! Hahahah! I told him to look in the basement!" Roared Alex and all of them bursted out laughing. Everyone was in such a good mood, they all joked around and the girls laughed and giggled and added their own stories. Draco observed everyone meanwhile and noticed his mouth twitching every so often until at some point he just had to laugh as well. Slowly, very slowly, he began to understand how Edenia lived and why she was ever so satisfied with her life.

The most exciting of days was spent on Monday evening. They decided to go to the movies together and watch this action-thriller thing Draco already forgot the name of. He followed everyone outside and noticed they all stopped in front of this large metal box.

"It's a car." Said Edenia.  
>"My car." Added Alex as he passed by and opened the door to sit behind the wheel. Tyle sat next to him on the passenger seat and the rest took the seats in the back.<br>"Don't worry." Said Edenia as she glanced at Draco's insecure face. "We will get there safely."

"DRIVE! DRIVE YOU UGLY PIECE OF SHIT!" Growled Alex and waved at a man in a blue car in front of him.

"WHO GAVE YOU YOUR LICENSE? DID YOU WIN IT ON THE LOTTERY?" He cussed and honked loudly when a woman tried to cut him the next passage.

"YEAH PUNK! I AM TALKING TO YOU! OR DO YOU SEE ANY OTHER IDIOT ON THE STREET BECAUSE I DON'T!" He screamed out of the window at a motorbike.

Draco exhaled deeply when he survived this hell ride. Stepping out of the car, he had to squint shut his eyes. He was absolutely swamped with all the different lights in the city and weird other traffic things with noise and music coming from all over. It almost made him dizzy. They arrived there at the "movies" and the scent of popcorn dragged everyone inside a dimmed room after paying. The blonde couldn't believe his eyes. Muggles were all sitting in a dark room to stare at a red curtain? He didn't understand. Edenia sat down between Draco and Tyle and rolled her eyes when Alex squished himself around some people with way too many nachos in his hands to carry; losing half of them on his way to a seat next to Emily and arrived just in time. The red curtain pulled away and revealed the largest of screens Draco has ever seen. The one in the living room was a complete joke compared to this.

Every once in a while, he noticed that Edenia ducked a little when something too exciting for her nerves happened and she leaned closer to Tyle without being aware of it, it seemed. But Tyle was aware of it; rubbed the part of her back that he could reach and at one point even kissed her temple. Draco turned his face away to further concentrate on the movie but everyone noticed that, for the rest of the evening, he had not said a single word anymore.

Tuesday morning was very quiet. Emily left the house at five in the morning, Alex at seven and Tyle around eight. Draco had to sleep on the couch, so he always knew when someone would be leaving. The downside of it was that he was awake. To be exact, he did not even sleep. He rubbed his eyes and glanced over to Edenia's room, wondering when she would get up. Bored out of his mind, he got up and walked over to her room and opened the door, just checking if by any chance, she did not sleep anymore. But she did, cuddled into a ball in her bed. He looked around her room; liked it. Everything was white and mint green and created a very soothing and soft atmosphere. He walked closer to her white-wooded bed and sat down by the edge of it and stared at the sleeping figure, but his eyes wandered around and stopped at this wall full of pictures. He got up and walked closer to it and saw that they all showed moments of their friendship. One picture showed the four friends sitting around a fire and tents in the background; maybe they were camping. Another picture showed a gleefully laughing Emily drawing with a black pen on a seemingly asleep Alex's face. The last picture Draco's eyes rested on was a smiling Tyle who stood on a wooden bridge deep in the nature showing most of the riverside and forest as its landscape. Draco felt his eyes narrowing at the male and he turned around to Edenia but she was still asleep. He walked over to her yet again and sat down on the edge of her bed once more, stared at her but after some moments decided to leave.

"Draco?" Came a voice from behind when he was almost out of the door. He turned around and smiled faintly. "I didn't mean to wake you up, sorry."  
>"Are you okay?" She asked and sat up on her knees on the bed, tilting her head to the side when he didn't answer within the time range that made it authentic when saying that he was okay.<br>"Yes." He then answered and looked away, was on his way out again but Edenia stopped him. "Come here please..." She said and patted the spot next to her. Draco inhaled deeply but sat down, facing her.  
>"Is it because you miss home?" She asked softly. Actually she swore to herself that she would never ask him this, fearing he would miss exactly those people she detested, unable to help him with that homesickness. But he shook his head.<br>"No...well. Of course to some extent. I don't know when I will be seeing them again. Or if...at all..." He sighed and Edenia rubbed his shoulder a little.  
>"You...you are really happy here, aren't you...?" He asked and the girl seemed confused. "They treat you good. So much better than...than the Slytherins..." He lowered his head a little and bit his bottom lip.<br>"But can you find all the happiness you...you are looking for? Here? With him..." He asked but his eyes widened, not wanting to say this at all.  
>"Him? Do you mean Alex? I told you there is nothing." She giggled and leaned back but Draco looked at her in another way.<br>"You mean Tyle?" He nodded and Edenia didn't say anything for a bit.  
>"We dated once" she then confessed and Draco frowned widely.<br>"But it just didn't work." She went on.  
>"Why not?" "Tyle is a gentleman. He treats everyone right, with the amount of respect they deserve. He is a very, very good friend and you can always count on him. But...I guess he was a tad too perfect for me, you know? It's difficult to explain." Said Edenia with a small smile. "And...He is fine with letting you go?" He shook his head and added. "I wouldn't be okay with that." But again, he frowned and quickly corrected. "If I were him, I mean."<br>Edenia snickered and said. "That's one of the reasons why I said he is too perfect. He is fair, always doing the right thing. Of course I would have wished for him to fight for me at some point. But that's just not him, you know?" She snickered. "I think he would have been sorted into Hufflepuff at Hogwarts." And she laughed a little at the thought of it. Draco chuckled lowly, but he did not share the same opinion. Gryffindor, definitely a Gryffindor, he thought and again, his eyes narrowed just a slight bit. The rest of the day was okay as everyone did not exactly talk a lot. The afternoon, however, held a surprise.

"Guys. Food is ready." Said Edenia and glanced to the oven and pulled out the large form of lasagna. If something could help Alex up his bottom from the couch, it was food. Everyone sat down, ready to enjoy their meals in silence; until Emily gasped and pointed to Draco before he could shove the fork into his mouth.  
>"HIDE!" She screeched up and everyone jumped, Alex accidentally threw some bit of lasagna on Tyle's face.<br>"What's up?!" Asked Edenia as everyone stood.  
>"I just saw Patty's car!" Yelped Emily hastily and everyone gasped. Of course!<br>"In the closet!" Said Tyle.  
>"In the oven..." Mumbled Alex, earning an annoyed glance from Edenia but Alex just shrugged it off when Draco was stuffed into Tyle's closet just in time and the door opened.<p>

"Hey folks! Ohhh! This smells good!" Cheered Patty and Emily pointed to the lasagna in an offering way, then glanced to Draco's plate and everyone mentally slapped their hands to their foreheads.  
>"We...we heh! Already fixed you a plate, see?" Cheered Edenia and Alex had to suppress a big laugh when Patty sat down smilingly and started to eat, following by the rest of them. "So." She started and asked. "Any news? How's work, Alex?"<br>"Fine." He responded and Patty looked at Emily.  
>"How are your preparations for the exams going?"<br>"I'm really stressed out of my mind but I'm fine."  
>"When's the first exam?"<br>"In four weeks. The last exam will be some when by the end of April."  
>Patty nodded and glanced at Tyle and he said. "University is fine."<br>"Got results from the last course already?" She asked.  
>"Yeah. I scored a ten out of ten." He cheered and everyone gasped.<br>"Why! You didn't even tell us!" Huffed Alex and Tyle shrugged.  
>"Come on it's nothing special." He said and continued eating. Patty then looked at Edenia but she noticed that she tried to avoid eye contact.<br>"Edeniaaaa..."  
>"No I didn't find a job yet." Whined Edenia slightly but added. "And I haven't decided whether I want to start muggle education or not...I don't know..."<br>"Dear, time is flying, you might want to decide very soon, alright? Try." Patty smiled in an assuring manner.  
>"Alright." Said Edenia and smiled back lightly. Patty always understood. Edenia told her about what happened but she did not exactly go into as much details as she did with her friends. Patty knew that the wizarding world was at war and she also knew that Edenia left for that reason. But that was about all the girl told her. When Patty left an hour later, Draco was let out of the closet but this game continued each Tuesday for the upcoming weeks.<p>

Things grew to be a little more pleasant. By the end of March, everyone got so used to Draco that he became a part of their life and the atmosphere changed, like the season, from very cold to pleasantly warm. Alex and Draco started to get along a little more and it seemed that they got along perfectly fine in front of the Playstation.

"Damnit you're good!" Grumbled Alex when Draco got ahead of him during a car race. A fact that Emily could only find a frown for. Nobody got ahead of Alex, not ever.

"Alex! Get up now! We are hungry! It's your turn to cook!" Hissed Emily.

"Are you nuts? I can't! I'm winning a game right here. You cook."

"Like hell I will! Get. Up. Now!"

"Nah uh no. I won't." He mused but laughed when Draco's car almost crashed against him.

"Whoo! That was close! Alright, alright! Yeah I'm about to win! I'm first! Hahaha! Just a few meters and-"

And suddenly the TV was black. Draco seemed confused and Alex's eyes widened in shock, he held the controller tightly and spun his head towards Emily who had the remote in her hands. Only Alex's face was slightly more unamused than hers and Draco realized that it was now only a matter of time when the ticking bomb in Alex's head would explode.

Edenia woke up from a nap and followed the loud yelling in the living room. She walked out groggily and stood against the doorframe, followed by Tyle who did the same the other second. Both of them stared at the bickering Alex and Emily, the unable-to-do-something Draco, then at each other and sighed heavily.

It took Alex exactly four days to speak to Emily again.

When April rushed by and Edenia, Draco, Alex and Tyle sat outside on the balcony and chatted about the latest events and Draco's hilarious encounter with the microwave, the door opened and in walked Emily. The four of them got up quickly and strolled over to her but frowned gently when they saw Emily's sulking expression. Alex then swung his arm around her.

"Hey...it's okay Em. You can just retake the exam next year, don't worry-"

"I PASSSSSEEEDDDD!" She suddenly screamed and jumped in happy tears and everyone scurried around her to congratulate and give her a hug.

"I think this calls for a party tonight!" Exclaimed Alex and tossed up a beer and luckily for Draco, Tyle had to drive this time as Alex already drank something.

Their evening was fine but it took Draco some time to warm up. The club, as they called it, was completely made out of glass and built in a circular shape and people would dance under the starry night sky. Laser lights shined in all colours and the music was so loud that he could not even compliment Edenia's looks, but he followed the lot to the bar where talking was easier.

"One Sex on the Beach please." Said Edenia to a barkeeper and Draco's mouth gapped open.

"What?!" He growled lowly and she laughed at him.

"It's a cocktail. A drink. They sometimes have funny names."

"Muggles..." He couldn't help but mumble to himself and out of spite, Edenia ordered.

"A Blow Job for my blond friend here." And Alex almost spat out his second beer looking at Draco's red face. They all enjoyed a couple of drinks and good conversations and watched Alex performing some extremely funny and new dance moves when he already had way too much to drink.

"May I?" Asked Tyle when a slow song came up and he held out his hand for Edenia to take, which she did. Draco watched them closely as Tyle held her to his chest and moved to the song. Sipping on his drink, Draco decided to watch somebody else and noticed Emily coming over to him.

"Where's Alex?" He asked her.

"Oh, someone called. I don't know must be something urgent I guess. Hey Nia!" Emily giggled when she walked away from Tyle.

"Ready to go home?" She asked and everyone nodded and Tyle, who had nothing to drink, drove them back safely.

They entered the apartment with roars of laughter at some story but it died out at once when they saw they were not alone in the apartment anymore.

Two visitors sat on the couch.


	15. Farewell

**Chapter 14: Farewell**

"Mother?" Asked Draco as he stepped closer and Narcissa Malfoy stood up from the couch and opened her arms for her son; who walked up and hugged the witch. Emily and Tyle were standing in the back, their eyes widened. Edenia placed herself slightly in front of her friends while Bellatrix Lestrange observed them closely, almost not paying any attention to her nephew. Her black eyes narrowed greatly at Edenia, as if she expected something but it did not happen.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Draco once he let go of his mother.  
>"We...have to tell you something. Edenia...you too." Said Narcissa and looked over to the girl but Tyle furrowed his eyebrows a little and asked instead. "How did you get in here...nobody was here to let you in..."<br>Bellatrix scoffed at that and shook her head but the witches did not answer. Instead, Narcissa said again. "Edenia. Come...come here please. We need to talk..."  
>Draco gulped a bit, not knowing what was going to happen but Edenia walked on over there while Emily and Tyle followed and they tried everything to block their friend from the dark witch and her longing eyes but it was almost impossible.<br>"Do we need the other pack around?" Asked Bellatrix half annoyed and Emily and Tyle frowned, wanted to say something until their friend snapped first. "They will stay where they are."

The whole atmosphere was extremely strung up; Bellatrix and Edenia had an intense stare-down but it was interrupted by Narcissa's voice.  
>"Edenia...the. The muggle world. Remember when I told you that...it would be safe?"<br>"Yes..."  
>"I. I was wrong." She almost stuttered and held Draco's shoulder.<br>"What?! What do you mean? Does...does that mean _he_ will come here?! And kill everyone? All the…muggles?" Edenia gasped.  
>"Who is he? Voldemort?" Asked Tyle in curiosity and Bellatrix's eyes widened. She rushed up with her wand pointed at him on almost an instant when the word left his lips.<br>"FILTH! DON'T YOU TAKE HIS NAME IN YOUR DIRTY MOUTH!" She screamed at the blue eyed man, her nose wrinkled in disgust, she would have jinxed him had there not been Edenia who rushed up and stood in front of him protectively; but Narcissa pulled her sister down, trying to calm her.  
>"Bella…" She tried but Bellatrix shoved Narcissa back and growled lowly while Tyle just frowned and exchanged surprised looks with Emily. Now they knew exactly who this woman was.<p>

Before someone else could say anything, Narcissa continued. "We came to..."  
>"Pick up Draco..." Finished Edenia in a low tone. Narcissa gulped and nodded.<br>"Yes..."  
>"I am going nowhere without Edenia." It came from Draco suddenly. He spoke in such a firm and determined voice that everyone's eyes turned to him, especially Bellatrix couldn't be more surprised.<br>"Draco, dear..." Said Narcissa and her eyes got all teary again. She sniffled softly and looked at Edenia. "I...expected this to happen. I...Edenia if you want to come with us..."

"She wouldn't be safer with us." Said Bellatrix before emphasizing "and that's her own fault! We would have given her everything! But there she goes! She had to run away and deny the Dark Lord's orders! Under his nose, too! There cannot be more betrayal than that!" She growled but Edenia did not say a word for a while. Draco started to breathe unsteadily, shaking his head.

"Mother...there must be a way!" He pleaded and Narcissa stared at her son, then to Bellatrix who inhaled deeply. Nothing was said for some time but Narcissa then roamed around in her pocket for something, found it, pulled it out and in her hand was money; a lot of muggle money.

"H..here Edenia. Take it, you took care of Draco, you-"  
>"Is that the price to pay to ensure your sleep at night, Narcissa?" Asked Edenia in a concentrated manner suddenly and the room grew dead silent, not even Bellatrix found a retort.<br>"Edenia, I know, but please, take it-"  
>"Mother! You are insulting her!" Rushed Draco stiffly and Narcissa lowered her head a bit, nodded and pulled her hand back but dabbed away some tears after she stuffed the money into her pocket again. It was quiet once more.<p>

"Draco. You will go home with your family. I will not come with you. I will not let my friends die here. Not alone...I..."

"No! No Edenia! You will come with us! They too!" He pointed at Tyle and Emily.

"We don't need more Mudbloods to kill, Draco." Mumbled Bellatrix and ignored the tears that already streamed down Emily's face but Tyle tried consoling her.

"Are you sure, Edenia...is this final...you will...stay here...?" Asked Narcissa.

"Yes." Said Edenia.

"She...ngh..." Growled Bellatrix angrily in frustration; she wanted to say something but couldn't. Draco just shook his head, ran his hands through his hair nervously and looked up the ceiling every so often but all the attention went to his mother when she spoke again.

"Go to south, Edenia. The...the Death Eaters will start north...it...it will take time for them to get there...maybe...maybe you have a chance and..." She stopped and swallowed, her throat seemed dried out but she continued. "And...And live..."

"So this is case X..." Mumbled Edenia and rubbed a hand through her hair, looking at both Emily and Tyle. Emily shook her head in denial.  
>"No...No Nia! Nia! This can't be day X...no..." She whimpered but Tyle rubbed her back gently.<br>"We knew this day would be coming, Emily..." Said Edenia and Tyle inhaled deeply; he nodded and closed his eyes only to open them again when someone spoke.

"You...knew?" Asked Narcissa and Bellatrix seemed surprised too.  
>"It was clear to us when I heard of his return. I asked...everyone close to me to save money...we have been prepared long ago...now will you excuse me...I need to inform Alex..." She got up and picked up the cellphone, trying to call him but he did not pick up, instead, he denied her call. She frowned and walked over to the computer, maybe something else would work. Everyone stared at Edenia while Emily cried quietly in Tyle's arms. It took some time for Alex to answer the Skype call but he did, eventually, he seemed to understand that it was urgent.<p>

"Nia..." Came a voice; Alex's voice. Bellatrix looked over there curiously, wondering how this stuff worked but she would never ask. Instead, she just continued staring at the light blue screen and listened to their voices.

"Alex! You need to come back. We have to go! To the airport! Now! We don't have a lot of time. They came to pick up Draco. They said we have to go south. They said they will not go there all too soon-"

"Nia...open the camera. I want to see your face." Alex said again, he seemed unshaken by all of those news. The girl glanced over to Emily and Tyle who did not know how to take this, then she turned around again and noticed that Alex opened the camera and so she did, too.

"I'm in the hospital Nia...further away." He said softly. He appeared paler than ever and tired but other than that, seemed fine.

"Hospital? Come back home! Or we pick you up somehow?! We don't have time anymore! Where are you? We have to go-"

"I cannot come with you." He spoke and his green eyes looked right into the camera. Narcissa and Bellatrix stared at the screen, Draco seemed shocked and Emily and Tyle both jumped up and walked over to the computer.

"What do you mean?! Alex! Did you not understand? We are dying when we stay here! They are invading the-"

"My mother, Nia...they said she won't have long anymore. They said she...she won't make it. I knew this day would be coming but...but Nia, I swore, I promised to her...that I would never...leave her side, I promised I would stay with her until the end..."

"No!" Emily screamed and Edenia cried bitterly now, shaking her head.

"Alex...Alex, please..." She tried through her dried out throat but he shook his head.

"I can't..." He croaked, suppressing the tears.

"She…wouldn't want that! Alex! Please, oh god...please..." Edenia cried hysterically now, it fully hit her. Alex will not come. Emily couldn't say a single word with her squint shut eyes and under her tears while Tyle stared at the screen in disbelief, lips twitching oddly.

"I love you Nia. All of you. I love you...be safe. Tyle. Take care of my girls."  
>"I...I will...I promise..." Said Tyle and bit his bottom lip but that's when the screen turned blue again and Edenia burst out in tears and screamed "No! NO! ALEX!" but it was too late. Draco ran up to them and hugged Edenia who was almost having a mental breakdown while Tyle tried to calm down Emily but it was to no use, she ran away into her room and Tyle followed.<p>

"Shh...Shh. Edenia. Please don't cry...I'm sure he will try to come, he will try..."

"We..we..ha-have to go to the hospit-a-al… we..we…Have to pick him up, we-"

"There will not be any time for this, I'm afraid, Edenia." Said Narcissa softly and she got up. "You don't have time..." She added, then walked over to the girl and stared at her broken face, rubbed her shoulder gently but looked at her sister and demanded.  
>"Give it back, Bella."<p>

Bellatrix glared at Narcissa for a couple of seconds, rolled her eyes but pulled out a wooden stick from her leather coat. She got up slowly and walked over to the girl, however, she did not, not for the slightest of seconds, look into her eyes. Instead, she handed back Edenia's wand. The girl stared at it before she took it into her right hand, eyes wandered to Bellatrix but the dark witch had her face turned away and she seemed to stare out of the window; any direction as long as it didn't mean looking at her. Edenia closed her eyes for a brief moment before she looked around the living room, raised her wand and pulled it back and forth, swung it around and with these motions the glass started to shatter and the large fragments and splinters flew out of the apartment, the TV broke, the computer burst in flames, the cupboard-doors flung open and all the content fell out. Her last move was aimed against the pure white wall on which she jinxed the word "MUDBLOODS" and red liquid ran from the letters.  
>Moments of silence invaded the destroyed room; Bellatrix looked around with her lips parted while Draco kept shaking his head in disbelief.<p>

At last, Emily and Tyle both stood there with bags and teary faces. Tyle walked over to Edenia to hand her the bag that they packed long ago. He put it around her shoulder gently while he informed. "I told Patty. She will come, but later, she told us to go ahead. I also...told her to inform everyone that she still wants to see by tomorrow..."  
>Edenia nodded almost absentmindedly, she walked over to the corridor and set all the rooms in flames but ran back into her room to pick up something and returned the other second only to pull her friends along by the hands and walk out of the apartment. Bellatrix, Narcissa and Draco followed on out too and all of them knew, as they stood outside and watched the flames, that this was the last time they could see each other.<p>

"Edenia…" Said Draco when he watched the three of them starting to walk off wordlessly. He was not ready for this. He called her again and she stopped dead in her tracks, head turned to her left shoulder but she did not turn around. However, it was not necessary as he walked over to her by now and stared at her back. Biting her bottom lip, she whimpered through gritted teeth.  
>"Just…just go, Draco…"<br>"Edenia…please…look at me. One last time…" He said and it took a couple of seconds but she turned around to him. The two witches stood in the back and watched, Bellatrix had her arms crossed and seemed very, very concentrated. She narrowed her eyes, tried to make out what they were saying but it was impossible.  
>"Edenia…there's. There's something I've wanted to tell you…for so long…" He croaked and his voice started to shake. She looked up to him, then looked back to her friends, then to Draco again, waiting.<br>"I…" He tried. "I'm sorry for everything. Everything I have done to you...And…" He said and she nodded, wanted to turn around to leave but he pulled her back and hugged her tightly while whispering into her ear. "…I love you…" and kissed her forehead before parting. He walked backwards and they stared into each other's eyes before both of them turned around at the same time and disappeared into the night.

The three friends arrived at the airport a little later and booked their tickets. Things would be so much easier of only Edenia could apparate with her friends but that was not possible as they were muggles. No one said a single word, Emily had tears streaming down her face constantly and tried to get rid of them but it only resulted in crying even more. She tried to convince everyone that Alex was only joking and that he would be here very soon but he was not, not then, not an hour later while they were waiting on their flight. Edenia watched the people around her, the giggling and laughing. She watched Emily crying into Tyle's arms and she watched airplanes taking off and arriving every so often. Her dull eyes stared around; through everyone and everything but when she stared down at the picture that she carried in her hands all along, her eyes softened and filled with tears again. The four friends sat there together in front of a fire and tents in the background. What a beautiful and funny day it was. And with that, Edenia looked up out of the sky, around the people she previously observed until she stood up, handed over the ticket to Tyle and said.  
>"Give this to Patty, so she won't have to buy hers."<br>"WHAT?! NO! NOT YOU, TOO!" Screamed Emily but Edenia shook her head while Tyle tried to hold her back.  
>"I have to! I have to try and stop him! I have to fight! And I will not tell you Goodbye because! I! Will! Be! Back!" She said and apparated away.<br>Edenia will fight.


	16. Prison

**Chapter 15: Prison**

Edenia arrived late in the evening at Hogwarts but she could not believe her eyes. Fire was burning, people were screaming, Giants and other creatures ran around and roared angrily, occasionally fought each other before they attacked students. The grounds were full of corpses and Edenia just stared at them, unable to look away. Lights around her reminded her that it was dangerous to stand and stare, but she could not budge for a few more moments. Her eyes wandered around while everything around her fought; it was as though the world stopped rotating around her. A large Troll growled loudly, causing her to wake up but it walked past her. Edenia stood on the large bricked bridge and rubbed a hand through her hair, not knowing where to start. She came here with the utmost determination to help but without clue how she could.

"You..." It suddenly came from behind her. Edenia spun her head around and held up her wand defensively at Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I let you run so many times..." Growled the raven haired witch, blood was smeared on her cheeks but there were no wounds.

"And now you dare...come back...WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK! STUPID BRAT! EXPLAIN!" She yelled but Edenia glared.

"To fight Voldemort." She spoke and something in Bellatrix's eyes lit up and gave her a jolt of energy. She raised her wand at the girl and yelled on top of her lungs.  
>"AVADA KEDAVRA!" And green flames shot out of the wooden tip and crashed to Edenia but she dodged just in time and the curse hit the Troll instead. It sank down to its knees slowly but seemingly too fast, Bellatrix had nowhere to escape when it threatened to crash down onto herself and before she knew it, she was pulled away and the Troll fell down over the bridge, eyes following it landing dead in the water. Bellatrix sat there with her mouth gapped open, eyes round like those of a startled deer, she looked at Edenia, the girl that she wanted to kill but who saved her life. Her eyes followed her when she dashed away, not able to move for some time.<p>

Edenia ran through the crowd, fired off spells at several Death Eaters and hit a couple of them fatally. Neville glanced at her and smiled victoriously when he saw her, both of them nodded at each other but their nonverbal conversation was interrupted by a spell that was shot at her from a distance. Edenia blocked it and glared at the performer.

"You traitor!" Screamed Pansy Parkinson, she raised her wand and was about to shoot off another spell but her wand had flown out of her hand before she could say the incantation.

"Expelliarmus!" It shouted out from behind and Pansy turned around. Draco stood there with a face of utmost anger, he growled lowly, stunned the brown haired girl and merely walked past her and over.

"Edenia..." He said softly and pulled her into a hug that she, this time, responded to. She squeezed him tightly, some tears streamed down her face but he brushed them away.  
>"You shouldn't have come here...it's too dangerous!"<br>"You are here, too..."  
>"I...Ripped away from mother shortly after we departed and looked for the airport...I didn't even know what it was...but I found it. I found Tyle and Emily just in time and they told me...that you are here. Potter is here...I...already had a short encounter with him..." He closed his eyes gently, remembering the scene from the room of requirements, but he opened his eyes again.<br>"I want you to go into the forbidden forest. I want you to hide there. All the dangerous creatures are here tonight"  
>"I have not come back to be a coward, Draco..." Spoke Edenia gently but Draco shook his head.<br>"You don't understand! Potter is here. Let him play the hero! Go!" He shoved her further towards the direction of the forest. She looked at him, decided that she will go there but come out again as soon as she was sure that he was gone. She walked on inside, took one last glance at Draco and he nodded at her before he left. Edenia sighed gently as she kept walking for a few more meters and turned around again, was almost out of the forest once more but her eyes widened and she screamed in terror, holding her hands to her mouth.

"Did you think I would forget...?" Asked the male voice roughly as its owner walked closer. Blaise Zabini stood in front of her with eyes full of hatred and joy.  
>"Oh Edenia..it's been such a long time...Don't look at me so innocently..." He mused and laughed when she raced into the forest but of course he chased her down. She ran as fast as she could, constantly looked back to him to make sure she was further ahead but she wasn't, he was very close, almost close enough to grab her and only a couple of inches were missing but she speeded up again and again, trying to gain more distance. She stumbled over roots of trees, ducked under branches and jumped over bushes in the darkness, it was only a matter of time until something stupid happened, and it did. She came to a halt in front of a lake, almost fell inside because it went so smoothly with the color of the earth but the water glistened and gave off its warning just in time. She was unable to cross it, not having a spell at hand in this hurry that could work. Swinging her head around, she saw Blaise walking up to her casually, his white teeth reflected in the moonlight as he grinned widely.<p>

"Now it's only you and me...and nobody will hear you scream...nobody is here to safe you. Not this time..." And he was about to lunge out at her but he fell over and dropped to the ground motionlessly. Edenia's eyes glued down to him in shock, still panting, her eyes wandered over towards the spell-caster. Curly black hair reflected in the moonlight, pale skin and bloody red lips distinctive as ever. Edenia did not know how to take this but she was slapped so hard that she fell over and hit the ground. Groaning with pain, she sat up but Bellatrix laced her hand in her hair as always and screamed.  
>"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU SAFE MY LIFE AND CREATE A BOND WITH ME! DO YOU HAVE NO SINGLE CLUE AT ALL?!" She screeched up but Edenia didn't understand. Could saving another witch or wizard create something like a bond with them? She looked up into those black eyes, eyes full of malice but she pulled out her wand and forced Bellatrix to back away. The dark witch looked at Edenia and laughed insanely.<br>"Now now! Are you trying to tell me you can actually do magic? You are so unlike a witch, it would surprise me! Why didn't you stay with your foul friends and wait on us Death Eaters to find you all and kill you?! Hmm? Why not, Nia...?" She howled and emphasized her name mockingly but Edenia did not respond.

"That poison in you..." Growled the dark witch suddenly. "Already inflected in on Blaise...then Draco...what's your goal? All of us?!" She yelled but Edenia kept quiet. She glanced down at Blaise who did not move but his eyes were opened, however, still.

"Why did you kill him if you feel so sorry for him...?" She asked and Bellatrix stopped laughing, her cheerful face turned into a nasty snarl. "IMPERIO!" She yelled and forced Edenia to drop her wand and follow her on away to another spot. Edenia did not know where Bellatrix tried to take her but she was strong willed enough to stop it. She lunged out at the dark witch, tried to slap her wand away and indeed, managed it and the wand went flying somewhere in the darkness. Full with fury, Bellatrix lashed out at the girl and slapped her so hard that she didn't move on the ground for a couple of seconds. She sat down on the girl, forced her flat on her back, pinned her arms above her head as she whispered into her ear.

"Because you are mine! That's why I killed him! You are mine! MINE ONLY!" And she sat up again and slapped the girl's cheeks left and right with the flat of her hand, then with the back of her hand. This went on for at least three times before Edenia found the strength to roll over and rip on Bellatrix's hair, causing the woman to hiss in pain but she rolled over again and forced Edenia's hands down.

"GET OFF ME WOMAN!" Yelled the girl but Bellatrix just laughed and shook her head. "No..." She purred, hot and damp breath tickled down her skin and she suddenly lashed out onto the girl's neck, sucking and biting it harshly between kisses. Edenia struggled and squirmed but it was to no use, Bellatrix was much, much stronger.

"Stop it!" Yelped Edenia when it hurt really badly, her tender skin was irritatingly red and swollen already but Bellatrix didn't care.  
>"Shut up. It's been way too long...and I want you. Here and now." She growled and started to tuck on the girl's clothes but her head went up the sky, then noticed the voice came from inside her head, trying to listen but Edenia screamed.<p>

"SHH!" Hissed Bellatrix and she listened again. It was Lord Voldemort speaking and calling back his forces. Bellatrix looked down at the girl and attacked her lips passionately before she got up. But Edenia knew that if she let the woman go now, more people would die. She tucked on Bella's black dress, caused her to fall over and growl.

"Let go!" Warned Bellatrix as she tried to crawl away and look for her wand but Edenia ripped on her dress again and pulled her back. Bellatrix glared hatefully and slapped Edenia down yet again but the girl jumped up once more and pushed Bellatrix over. This went on for the next half an hour, both of them did not give up and the sky turned lighter and lighter. The dark witch panted heavily as she laid flat on her back but lashed out at Edenia for the last time and both of them rolled around the earth and suddenly, Bellatrix had her wand in her hands again and waved it at Edenia with a victorious smirk. The girl's eyes widened and she squinted shut her eyes, knowing this was her last breath but Bellatrix got up and declared.  
>"I will be back for you, dear..." And vanished into the air.<p>

Edenia let out a furious cry but she stood up her feet and limbed out of the forest and over to the castle, which took her some time, especially with all her wounds, to arrive but managed it. Wandering through the gate, she looked around the Great Hall to check who was there. Ginny ran up to her and hugged her tightly suddenly and Edenia cried softly.

"You are alive...I was so scared..." She croaked and Ginny nodded and wiped away her own tears. Luna walked up to them and smiled faintly at Edenia when she said.

"It's over. We won. It's over." Edenia's eyes widened. She looked at Ginny and Luna, left and right and both of them nodded.  
>"Voldemort is dead. Harry killed him not ten minutes ago." Said the red head. Edenia could not say a single word but she felt happiness, deep, deep happiness. With a bright smile directed at her friends she wanted to heal their wounds but noticed that she forgot to pick up her wand in the forest. And hated herself for it.<br>"I'll be back!" She said softly and dashed away as fast as she could.

It took Edenia about half an hour until she found the spot again where she had last seen her wand. She walked over to the lake, remembered what happened here and deep sadness struck her again. Trying to avoid looking at Blaise's body, she looked for her wand but could not find it at all.

"Looking for this...?" Came a voice from around a tree. Bellatrix Lestrange leaned against it and held Edenia's wand in her hand, holding it up to show it but she stared at deeply in thought. Edenia gulped softly.

"You know, Edenia. He died while I was here with you." Said Bellatrix with a fake smile as she kept observing the wand in her hands. That smile. It reminded Edenia of just the same insane way a clown smiled. A smile on a horrendous figure.

"You held me back..." Continued Bellatrix calmly, but her dangerous eyes then came like daggers through the girl's heart. Edenia stepped backwards but her heel hit the water, she turned around to look at the lake but turned back only to face Bellatrix standing in front of her. Edenia started breathing unsteadily; her heart beat speeded up so fast that she feared the dark witch could hear it. Bellatrix glared down at the girl, her chest heaving in anger. Her black eyes rested on Edenia's wounds and gashes and she grinned, knowing she caused them.

"B-Bellatrix...I...am sure your family...is waiting on you...and your husband..." Edenia tried but Bellatrix laughed and twisted some strands of Edenia's hair around her index finger. "Rodolphus is dead. And Lucius, the coward, ran away." She spoke.  
>"I..I'm sorry to...to hear..."<br>"No. You are not. And I'm not sorry, either." Edenia looked into Bellatrix's eyes, unable to say something for the while, she did not know what. Her hands were then grabbed and Bellatrix walked backwards, pulling the girl with her. Edenia's insecure face tried to find an answer as to what would happen but she knew, by now, that Bellatrix was unpredictable. She was not yet rude to Edenia, even though she had, according to her, all the reasons to be. And Edenia knew this was only the clam before the storm and she did not want to wait until the storm broke out. It drove her crazy as Bellatrix kept leading her backwards but she was turned around abruptly and pressed against a tree, those insane eyes stared down into her very soul.

"What...what are you going to do?" Asked the girl nervously and Bellatrix's eyes narrowed in delight.  
>"Scared?" She whispered and brushed against Edenia's neck with her lips, not yet making full contact with her skin.<br>"Y..yes.." Confessed Edenia.  
>"You should be." Came the cold tone from the dark witch and her lips rested on Edenia's throat, feeling her carotid beating against them with the increasing nervousness. Edenia watched her and couldn't help but notice that it had to arouse Bellatrix.<br>"Why don't you just kill me..." Whimpered Edenia, her nerves were completely down but Bellatrix just laughed.  
>"Kill you...?" She asked and breathed hot breath against Edenia's collarbone-area.<br>"I know something better...something lasting...I'll have my revenge on you, girl...I won't kill you...for death is salvation...I will lot set you free...you. Will live and hear about your friends dying, one by one and I shall watch you whither." Grinned Bellatrix and suddenly they rose up the sky, through time and space and away. Bellatrix apparated them to a large black tiled manor surrounded by dead trees in a moor landscape. Winged dark gargoyles with spider webs almost as large as a person towered at the entrance and Edenia was forced inside the dark house and she knew that this was going to be her prison for a long time.


	17. Lestrange Manor

**Chapter 16: Lestrange Manor **

Lestrange manor looked just like anyone would have pictured Bellatrix's abode to look like.  
>It was dark and cold; everything appeared sort of like Malfoy manor, to be unused. And black. It was black. Edenia didn't have enough time observing rooms or interior, she was pulled upstairs and pushed into a large bedroom. Without a chance to look at anything else, she spun towards Bellatrix.<p>

"Please...please, I'm sorry, I-" But a slap across her cheek silenced her.

"You will be sorry." Promised Bellatrix in an agitated growl; it was like something in her voice changed now that she knew she had the girl all to herself.

"Please!" Pleaded Edenia again and walked backwards, trying to keep the dark witch at bay but Bella just stood where she was, narrowing her eyes.

"Come here. Right now. Don't make me get you." Full with fear, Edenia squished herself into the corner of the room, trying to find security there. She shook her head and whimpered again. "Please..."  
>"One..."<br>"Please Bella! Don't do this to-"  
>"Two..." Edenia breathed even more unsteady, pressing herself against the wall a bit more. She sniffled softly but knew that she did not want Bellatrix to come and get her and so she walked over to her in defeat. She stood in front of her with her head lowered but her eyes looked up into those black orbs and just when she was sure that Bellatrix would not lash out on her, because she had done what she wanted, the dark witch's hands reached out suddenly and Edenia was thrown onto the bed forcefully. With a loud and startled gasp, she sat up again but Bellatrix was too fast; she pinned Edenia's arms down and laid flat on her. "Stop crying!" She growled but the girl just couldn't help it; tears streamed down her red cheeks.<p>

"Bella! Please...!"  
>"Mmmm...Please what?" She flouted and kissed down Edenia's cleavage excitedly. The girl squirmed and wiggled around but a sudden noise caused her to stop; Bellatrix ripped open the dress that Edenia was still wearing. Every bit of exposed skin was attacked by her tormentor's greedy lips; she sucked and bit on random parts.<br>"Stop squirming away! You didn't squirm away from your dirty friend, did you?!" "What...what are you talking about?" Yelped Edenia.  
>"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Yelled Bellatrix and sat up but ripped Edenia along by her hair, staring into her eyes deeply.<br>"That little rat trying to attack me at our first visit! Don't you dare lie to me! I know you spread your legs for him, didn't you?!"  
>"I...I-"<br>"But you are mine! And trust me! I'll find him! I'll find him and gut him! All those nasty Mudbloods!" She yelled again and ripped open the dress even more but Edenia knew exactly why she wanted Bellatrix to stop. And Bellatrix knew the second she held a photograph in her hands; the same that Draco already looked at and the very same picture that Edenia managed to safe from her room. Bellatrix stared at the four friends in silence, her insane eyes narrowed while Edenia tried to grab it back but it was thrown into the fireplace and instantly lit up.

"NO! NO!" Screamed Edenia and tried to get out of the bed but she was pushed back down with hard slap that hit the girl so bad that she could not move at all anymore.  
>"Wh-why are..are yo-ou doing..thi-s?" Edenia cried but she felt too dizzy to struggle any longer and so she just watched drowsily as Bellatrix got rid of every cloth on her body, her eyes closed slightly when kisses, forceful kisses, rained down to her neck, to her breasts, down her belly and felt like she almost passed out when something hot and misty connected to the tender skin between her legs. She did not dare to move an inch, knowing that Bellatrix had her at her most vulnerable point and it made her incredibly nervous to be aware that, sadistic as Bellatrix was, she had a reason to hurt Edenia while being exposed to her like this. She knew these things were done to her body not because Bellatrix wanted to share intimate moments with the girl but rather show her that she could invade every little bit of Edenia's life that she wanted. Everything. She kept squinting shut her eyes when Bellatrix speeded up, twisted her tongue around, took large laps, attacked lavishly or even sucked and bit unpredictably, but her attention was forced back when Bellatrix added two fingers at once to further penetrate the girl. And it hurt. Edenia tried to squirm away but it only resulted in painful inner scratches and amused cackles from the witch, but she let go. Had it not been for the wand that Bellatrix pulled out from her bag at that moment, Edenia would have thought that the torturing session was over but it just began.<br>"Crucio." Spoke Bellatrix coldly and Edenia screamed in pain, wanted to jump off and away but she noticed that she was invisibly bound to the bed like glue, unable to escape. Bellatrix watched and grinned, closed her eyes and enjoyed, clearly enjoyed her pry's screams of agony. The curly head leaned back down once again and continued her lavish licking and sucking while Edenia moaned in terror.

When the girl opened her eyes the next day, she noticed that the light that shined right into her face must have woken her up; greeting her. Another thing that greeted her was the miserable pain she felt when she tried to move and she yelped terribly during an attempt to sit up. She glanced to her right and saw Bellatrix laying right next to her, eyes wide open and a smirk on her face, causing Edenia to back away on an instant, as if Bellatrix was like a trigger that rang the alarm in her body and everything she wanted was to run away and survive. Of course this move only resulted in more physical pain and she lay back down with her head pressed into the pillow while groaning, trying to ignore the dark witch's shrill laughter but she could not ignore her arms that sneaked around her and pulled her closer. Bellatrix kissed the side of her neck and parts of the exposed shoulder. Edenia wanted to say something but her mouth was dried out; she did not eat nor drink anything for a long time. Bellatrix moved around a bit and got up; she was wearing a long, red silky nightgown and her curly raven hair was furious as ever. "Get up." She demanded and Edenia tried but she could not move. She tried again and this time it worked a little better. One more attempt and she was up on her wobbling feet but almost fell over until she could catch herself just in time by using one of the black columns as a support. Bellatrix watched her with an expression that Edenia could not interpret but it looked like a mixture of concentrated and annoyed or maybe joyous too. Bellatrix opened another door in the very same room and it was clearly a bathroom. She let the girl in and Edenia was almost happy but that vanished when Bellatrix sat in the bathtub filled with water already and waved Edenia by. It was big enough to hold at least six more people, if anything; it reminded the girl of a stony whirlpool. The water was warm but it made her skin crawl, especially the wounds and fresh cuts rebelled against it. Flinching, she tried to adjust but Bellatrix suddenly pulled her close and placed her in her own lap. She sat in front of the woman, not able to see her face anymore but did not feel relieved at that fact; it made her even more insecure. Bellatrix started scrubbing and washing off the girl's body but it hurt so bad that Edenia constantly squeaked and tried to squirm away but shut up when the witch's hands reached to her most private zone. She looked up into Bellatrix's eyes at that moment but the latter just smirked with narrowed eyes, knowing exactly why her little toy stopped moving.

"So quiet...aren't you..." Purred the dark witch.  
>"Answer me." She demanded. Edenia opened her mouth to say something but it only came out as dry croaks. Bellatrix raised an eyebrow but did not further stress the point. Instead, she turned Edenia around and looked into her eyes while she washed off her face a little too roughly, causing a scratch to reopen again and starting to bleed. The blood ran down Edenia's inner cheek, like a tear, and stopped at her bottom lip. Bellatrix watched it but brushed the red liquid away with her thumb before she motioned the girl to get up again.<br>"I...don't have my clothes" croaked Edenia with a cough once she was out of the water. Bellatrix raised her wand at the girl and Edenia squinted shut her eyes, believing she would get cursed but instead, her body felt dry again and her hair wasn't wet anymore once she checked her reflection in the mirror.  
>"You don't need clothes..." Grinned the dark witch and grabbed something to her left, something that lay on a white towel all the while. She held it up for the girl to see and Edenia frowned greatly, her mouth gapped open but it went too fast. She checked her reflection in the mirror again and saw a black collar around her neck; it even had a silver tag dangling from it that read "Property of Bellatrix Lestrange".<p>

"I wanted to give it to you on Christmas but you were in such a hurry that evening..." She glared at the memory, though her face softened only to fall into a wide grin when she saw Edenia standing there in her nude self with only the collar on. She bit her bottom lip in delight and clear arousal but pushed that away for the moment. Instead, she waved her wand and her black robes came flying on her own nude body.  
>"Go into the bedroom. And don't you do something stupid." She growled warningly and Edenia did as she has been told and walked off into the bedroom. She did not think about trying to leave. She knew Bellatrix could always find her, no matter where she goes. And where could the girl go now anyway? Her home in the muggle world was destroyed, her friends were spread somewhere in the country, Hogwarts was closed and even if it wasn't, there was no possible way to simply apparate there, not without a wand, too. And she could not simply go to Ginny or Luna; she could not drag innocent people into all of this mess and threaten their lives, knowing Bellatrix would kill them without a second thought. And even if she was heartless enough to do that, to run off to friends, this collar, so Edenia thought, would stop the girl from trying anything. Not even from the fireplace; Bellatrix learned her lesson: it had no flee-powder close. There was no escape.<p>

When Bellatrix came back about ten minutes later, she held a plate and a glass of water in her hands but to her surprise, Edenia did not pay attention. The girl was tucked under the blanket and her eyes closed, she was asleep again. Bellatrix glared and sat down the dishes and clapped loudly, causing Edenia's torso to shoot up on an instant, her eyes looking around like a lost squirrel.

"Eat. And drink. I don't want you to die on me while I'm not done with you." Said the dark witch and put the plate of bread in Edenia's lap and soon, the girl began to take small nibbles and bites. She glanced over to the dark witch that walked out of the balcony and stared around and wondered what was going on in her mind, what would be coming next to humiliate and torture her? She put the plate away and drank the water but cuddled back down, just hoping she would fall asleep and never, never wake up again.


	18. Psyche

**Chapter 17: Psyche**

Loud screams echoed through Lestrange Manor, over and over again. Whenever some birds lost their way on one of those dead trees outside, they instantly took off once they heard the noise. They just flew away, to a better place. Edenia did not have such an option. Instead of happy chirping from a bird, the Cruciatus curse woke her up whenever Bellatrix caught Edenia asleep - and she fell asleep multiple times due to maximum exhaustion after a torturing session. She lay there in her nude self, as Bellatrix still did not allow her any clothes, and whimpered. Her throat was raspy and the flavor of blood was an ever-present friend on her tongue; the constant screaming got her throat very sore. It was only a matter of time until other health problems occurred, and physical ones weren't the only available issues here. She looked up to the witch with a blurry vision, was on the edge of passing out again, her lips moved up and down, she wanted to say something but was too weak. Eyelids kept closing but she forced herself to stay awake, terrified of falling asleep knowing how she would be waken up again.

"I can't hear you! Say it! Say it again!" Hissed Bellatrix and cracked the whip in her hands down the ground so loudly that Edenia's eyes were wide again.

"I'm...I'm yours..." Squeaked the girl and tried to crawl away on the floor but she only hit a wall that she used to rest against. Her swollen eyes hurried to the whip but a glance to her thighs reminded her that they could get her if Bellatrix truly wanted; the wounds from their last impact were still fresh and bloody. Never in her life had she imagined how insane Bellatrix could truly get. Everything she has experienced beforehand with the witch at Hogwarts was only a taste. The true flavor of it towered right before her - and it was bitter. Very bitter.

Bellatrix rushed down to the girl and Edenia had her eyes already squinted shut, expecting another slap to her face but it did not come. Instead, she felt how her wounds dissolved into nothingness. Edenia knew this was not an act of kindness, she had learned this much. Bellatrix always got rid of any wounds so she could start all over again. From zero. Her body quivered so much that the witch had trouble pointing her wand at the shaking spots, of course it frustrated her and resulted in sharp fingernails boring into the girl's body to keep her in place. "Hold still!" She hissed but the sound of her voice only caused Edenia to shudder even more; not to mention that the ongoing absence of clothes did not help either.

"I'm..I'm sorry.." Said Edenia in a tiny voice, eyes got all teary again. She sniffled softly and looked away from Bellatrix but the latter laced a hand in the girl's hair to pull her back. She noticed she had to grab a little more to the side; a lot of hair has already been ripped out of the usual spot. "Look at me when you are speaking!" She growled but let go of Edenia harshly and too abruptly, which resulted in hearing how the girl's head bumped against the wall with a thud.

Edenia whimpered softly and rubbed the stinging spot, thick droplets of tears ran down her cheeks. Her head was burning and stinging. Everything felt so dizzy again but she must not fall asleep. No, she must not fall asleep. Her eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier. But No. She must not fall asleep. No, she mustn't. Unable to fight it any longer, she gave in. She fell asleep, her eyes closed and did not reopen for the next hours.

When she woke up again, it was not by the Cruciatus curse. This time it was from a nightmare. She shot up in panic and looked around panting heavily. She was alone but something was strange. A glimpse to the window and she realized that it must have been morning or noon. Quite in fact, whenever she looked out of the window, it was day. Never night. With a feeling of having hit her head too hard, she rubbed her forehead softly and wanted to get up but she was bound to the bed. Had she not been on the ground the last time? Edenia soon started to question a couple of things. The door opened and in walked Bellatrix with the regular dish; bread and water.

"Lucky for you. I just came to wake you up..." Purred the witch with a raised eyebrow and she handed over the tablet for Edenia. The girl took it without a second glance once she was allowed to move again and sat up; her full attention went to her meal. Bellatrix watched her little toy, nibbled slightly on the tip of her wand and a dark, mischievous grin grew on her face. Edenia noticed this and, full with fear, stopped eating, expecting something to happen. "Is...is it poisoned?" Squeaked Edenia and glanced to her bits of bread with big and sad eyes. Bellatrix laughed; slowly but surely she got the girl to doubt everything. She watched with a grin as Edenia put the bread back down, clearly not wanting to do that, though. More inner conflict showed when she was too insecure to drink. Her shaking hands reached out for the glass and she smelled on it, nipped lightly, waited for something to happen but nothing did. Feeling more secure about it, she drank it all but her eyes filled with worry when it appeared that her mind ran through all the possibilities of poisoning water. It soon resulted in having herself worried so much that she became sick of it, her stomach rumbled and ached terribly but Edenia believed that Bella put something into the water and bread.

"Stop crying!" Shouted Bellatrix somewhen in the middle of the night. Edenia shot up her eyes in fear, looking at the witch or trying to make out where she was because the room was pitch black. It was never pitch black. For some time, it was day. All the time it was day and now Edenia realized that it did not match. She had endured so much within a day? It felt different. Felt like weeks. She sniffled again, not able to suppress her tears. "I said stop crying!" Yelled Bellatrix now, causing Edenia to almost fall out of the bed. She tried to hide underneath the blanket but couldn't as it was the same large cover she had to share with the dark witch. Bellatrix growled in frustration when she could still hear Edenia's muffled crying; she knew the girl tried to keep quiet but was not necessarily successful.  
>"I have been way too gentle with you the past few days! Why are you crying now, huh?! Why?!"<br>"Bellyache..." Whimpered Edenia and balled up even more. Bellatrix rolled her eyes but she pulled the girl against herself roughly and wrapped her arms around Edenia's cold body, slightly surprised by the low temperature of it herself before she began to rub and stroke the soft and nude skin in a circular motion. Edenia lay there stiffly, did not move at all, was way too scared to budge; her body, however, set on alert. She expected pain each second but it did not come. The rubbing on her stomach began to feel good. Her sniffling got less and Bellatrix was sure that it was completely gone after a while; the girl seemed asleep.

The other day, Edenia shot up again. Her eyes were wide open but she could not see. The room was pitch black, still. She could not even see where the windows were. It was as if she was locked in nothingness. She tried to find a light source, something securing after this horrible dream of Bellatrix, but there was nothing soothing enough to rest eyes on. Why was it so dark? Her heart began to beat faster, she found no orientation, instead lost it and it made her feel dizzy. Wherever she turned her head, it was the same information her eyes collected. Blackness. What day was it? She did not know. It felt like December. She lay back down and heard Bella's amused cackles. She was somewhere in the room, Edenia did not know where, was unable to determine the position. Nervousness increased.

"Like it? It's quite effective." Said Bellatrix and her voice was next to Edenia suddenly.

"I...I don't understand..." Whimpered the girl and tried to hide in the pillow.

"Well dear." Bellatrix started. "Let me show you." And suddenly, the blanket flew off of Edenia's body. She yelped at the unpredictable movement and coldness, tried to crawl away but was grabbed back and felt the dark witch on top of her, kissing her down while her hands touched the girl basically everywhere. She did not know when and where it would hit her next. This feeling of being exposed to her like this, it was unbearable. Not only physically but it was like Bellatrix had access to Edenia's deepest fears. She stripped the girl off of everything. Clothes. A name. A future. A life. But mostly, she started to strip her off of her sanity. What day was it? Did another day pass already ever since she woke up in this blackness? She did not know. Bellatrix was suddenly gone again, did not lay on top of her and when she called out for the witch, it was like she was not even there. Was it a dream? Did, whatever just happened now, only happen in her head? Moments passed. She was not sure anymore. What day was it?

"Good morning my dear." Said a voice next to her suddenly. It's about time you wake up." She continued and was pulled closer against the body to her right. Had Bellatrix been next to her all the time? But she was gone, wasn't she? Edenia did not hear her, did not hear a single shifting.

"You have been sleeping for almost a whole day." Said the witch and Edenia heard an arm movement, and with that, the black curtain swung to the left and daylight filled the room again, erasing the darkness. But something was still odd. Why was Bellatrix so nice? Usually, she would be waken up with the Cruciatus curse. Was this just a dream? What day was it? The pictures in her head began to turn again, she had to hold onto the bed to not fall out of it. She sat up and rubbed her head, her leg waggled in anxiety, she mumbled something inaudible but suddenly, she just screamed. Screamed as though someone stabbed her right into the heart, screamed as if another Cruciatus curse was shot at her, screamed like there was no tomorrow. And then cried, just lay back and cried, whimpering in between her tears. "St-op...stop...thi-this psycho-terror...s-top...ple-plea-se..." She pleaded and her eyes turned to Bellatrix who watched the girl closely, then shook her head.  
>"I don't think I know what you're talking about. You must have had another nightmare." And she ran her hand through Edenia's hair gently, only to pull her closer with a kiss to her forehead.<br>"Get up. We will have something to eat."  
>"Eat?" Asked Edenia and rubbed her tears away. She glanced around, over to the nightstand where she last saw the tablet with bread and water, but it was gone. She got out of the bed and only then noticed that she was wearing clothes; her dress. And it was not shredded like it used to be. Clearly confused, she rubbed her head again but followed Bellatrix downstairs. She looked around the walls timidly, scared something could suddenly attack her but nothing did, not yet.<br>"Sit down." Cooed the dark haired witch and Edenia did, she sat down at the large brown table. Her eyes wandered to the wine-red curtains that hung down the arched windows and fell on the black marble-stoned floor. Bellatrix sat down as well and the next thing Edenia saw was this odd and old looking house elf.  
>"Kreacher is here, Madam. Do you wish the food to be served?" he asked in a raspy tone and Bellatrix nodded. Kreacher bowed gently and walked off two steps backwards first before he turned around with his body.<br>"Yes, Madam. It's an honor for Kreacher to serve the most ancient house of Black again."

Edenia kept quiet, her mind was empty, yet so full. She glanced at the food that appeared on the table magically; fine roast beef, potatoes and vegetables. She did not dare touch it, however, turned her face away. A plate was served to her and Bellatrix raised an eyebrow when she said. "Eat, dear."

And Edenia did. She started eating, very sure this was a dream. Things could never be as good as this, it was just too good to believe. So she played along, hoping she would remember this dream instead of nightmares when she awakens. As both of them were done with their meals, Bellatrix got up and motioned Edenia to follow her along; which she did. She followed but gulped when the dark witch walked upstairs again. Life down here seemed so much nicer. Up there, ironically, it was hell. She grabbed most of her courage and walked along, a little faster than expected; for some reason she had the feelings the stairs began to glue her down. When she passed this large mirror, she stopped and did not budge for the next minute. She stared into the reflection and now she was sure that this, this right now, was not fake. The collar, that the witch forced on her was still around her neck and still read ever so sweetly: Property of Bellatrix Lestrange. It was neither a nightmare nor a nice dream. It was sad reality. Or was it not?


	19. Attachment

**Chapter 18: Attachment**

What was life's value? What is life? How to live? When does living take place and when does it stop? Edenia was sure, she was taught, life did not stop with death. Death sounded like something worth striving for. Striving for it seemed unbelievably beautiful; a place beyond happiness. A place where she could await her friends that had endured the worst and now had the best. One day, she would close her eyes but see. Death, sweet death. She would wait.

"Crying again? Aren't you a crybaby?" Mocked the voice next to Edenia. But it was wrong. Edenia did not cry and she did not turn her head towards the woman. Instead, she closed her eyes and imagined drawing her last breath. But she did not. Not yet. Bellatrix walked around the girl with a mischievous grin on her lips, then seemed taken aback when she realized that Edenia's face was dry. Not a single tear rolled down her cheeks. Nothing.

"You know...I have been sending out someone to...find your ugly friends...and kill them..." She suddenly smirked and stared at the girl with eyes lit up in pleasure. But they dimmed once she has come to notice that Edenia did not react to those news. Bellatrix frowned darkly, her mouth parted in surprise when she saw Edenia's lips curl into a soft smile, not a smile of spite. A smile as though she was at peace.

"They will wait for me..." Whispered Edenia and her eyes stared out of the window. Dull, powerless eyes.

"Wait?! Hah. No...they will die and you will live! Like I do! Like I have to!" Growled Bellatrix and knelt down to the bed, to Edenia's level, blocking the girl from looking out of the window. She cast herself in front of the sunlight with her blackness and her mouth gapped open again, her eyes widened when Edenia showed no reaction but that's when something in Bellatrix stirred.

"Now I know what you want to do!" She hissed at Edenia, then laughed before she added, nodding in awareness.  
>"That's why you haven't been eating anything for the past two days, huh?! You're trying to escape me! Tell you what, girl! Not even death will help, I promise you this! You will not slip away like that!" And a hand reached out to Edenia's head, laced itself in the girl's hair to rip on it. Yet again, she had to grasp a little more to the side. She managed to get a firm grip and pulled Edenia's head up to face -level and glared, but her glare replaced itself with surprise when she stared into dull, empty eyes. Whereas tears showed emotions of sadness, depression, turmoil or maybe even gratefulness to some extent, nothing reminded Bellatrix of something alive now. She let go of Edenia, walked out of the room and did not come back even when the girl woke up from a nap possibly hours and hours later.<p>

Edenia looked around and wondered if she was alone, felt easy at first but that easiness vanished. After quite a while, she began to feel insecure. She used to enjoy the peace, the silence and the absence of danger, but now it felt like it became a threat. Like something was lingering. Maybe something would attack if she moved an inch. Maybe she would be punished if she tried. For all the girl knew, Bellatrix had the right mindset to leash out without any kind of warning. She always did. Whatever was done, Bellatrix knew how to make things worse. That was the only awareness that ever given to her: Knowing things could be worse than they are now. But how could Edenia ever assess a situation when she did not even know whether it was real or not. What was there, that could be worse, when it might not even have happened? When everything happened in her mind and her mind only? Edenia did not budge but her eyes wandered out of the window; it seemed like a grey afternoon. It must have been cold outside, but still. The world stood still. Did the trees outside know what was going on? Did the birds know? Would everything still be the same tomorrow? Would the world continue rotating, with or without Edenia, did it even matter? Feeling the sensitivity to do something, to find out, she got up and looked around, opened the door to observe the bathroom. Maybe Bellatrix was in there. But she was not. Edenia closed the door and turned around to walk out of the room; that, surprisingly was not even locked. Something must have been going on, but she did not know what it was. Instead of questioning herself too much, she decided to walk around the whole manor. But she was alone. Nobody was here, not even the house elf. Was he even here at all or has it just been imagination? Was he not here that one time when Bellatrix let Edenia down? Has Bellatrix ever let Edenia down that one day? The girl shook her head in disbelief and reached to her neck, and could not feel the collar. With a frown on her face, Edenia had to realize that it was not attached to her anymore. It was gone. Was it ever there?Has Bellatrix been here at all or was everything just a sick mind game, an awful nightmare?

"B...Bella?" Shouted the girl. No answer. She tried again. "Bella?!"' This time with a little more effort. No answer. She tried again. "BELLA?!" She walked around in hope, not knowing what exactly she hoped for but it died out when again, there was nobody answering. Stricken with panic, Edenia began to pace around the manor which, now that she took a look, seemed to be very dusty, as though nobody had been here for years. Edenia shook her head in denial, no, this could not be, Bellatrix was here. Bellatrix Lestrange was here and tortured Edenia. Kreacher was here, she was quite sure. He used to prepare the food, there, proof would be in the fridge, there must've been food inside. Edenia opened the fridge and almost puked at the smell and instantly shut its door again when bugs of sorts slithered out of its green, slimy environment; it was horrible. She turned away and supported herself on a chair, feeling dizzy and nauseated. No. This cannot be. She shook her head and walked upstairs again, Bellatrix would wait for her up there, she was sure. Or she would come just like she always did. Edenia passed by the large mirror but ignored her reflection when she opened the door to the bedroom and gasped, the whole room was a complete mess. The bed's foot was broken, it lay down to the ground on one side and the curtains were spread on the floor, along other things that once were somewhere else in the room. It looked like it had not been entered for ages. Her heart began to beat faster, she turned around hastily and tried, just tried so hard to understand, but she couldn't. Her heart beat so incredibly fast, almos painfully so. That's when panic took over her body. Where was Bellatrix? Would she let her whither here all alone, like she said, would she want Edenia to perish? The fear got more intense. What happened to the manor? Was everything just a dream, a spell maybe, causing a fake reality? What was reality? Edenia spun around, the pictures in her mind started to rotate, she shook her head, shook it severely and screamed with all the might and volume that her lungs allowed and then she dropped to the floor, staring to the ceiling for as long as her eyes allowed until she drifted away to sleep.

With eyes wide open, Edenia woke up. She did not know for how long she had slept but she remembered, on an instant so, what happened. Stricken with panic, her eyes searched around the bedroom hastily. Her head turned to the left and she instantly recognized Bellatrix beside her in the bed. Out of a first instinct, she clung to the dark witch with tears streaming down her face, almost embracing her with her whole shaking body. Bellatrix stared, a slight curious expression started to creep up her features as she rubbed her fingernails through Edenia's hair and pulled her closer. She shut her eyes and listened to the girl's quiet sobbing, however, did not comment it at all.

"B-Bella, you, you will stay here, r-right?" Asked the girl in between crying however, did not receive an answer yet.  
>"Don't go away, please!" Squeaked Edenia again and clung to her tormentor even more, curled herself around the witch's body and snuggled against her bosom. Bellatrix watched the girl with that ever so present grin and did not take it off when when she finally spoke.<p>

"Now, now...so...attached to me, aren't you, dear?" She purred and pulled Edenia up on her body so that she was on top. Edenia stared into Bellatrix's face deeply, looking for some warmth in those black, in nothingness vanishing eyes, but this mission was over when she burst out in tears again and clung to Bellatrix like a monkey, not wanting to let her go, making sure that she was with her, making sure that whatever happened so close to Bellatrix was real. A dark cackle caused her to look up to the witch. Confused and innocently, Edenia tried to understand what was so funny. Thick droplets of tears still streamed down her cheeks and suddenly, they were removed. Bellatrix reached out her hand and rubbed the tears away, another hand forced the back of Edenia's head down and a soft kiss was placed on her temple. It felt good, so good. Edenia thought she had never felt something like this before when she closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling only to carefully rest against Bella's chest. A cautious glimpse shot up to her before that but Bellatrix did not seem to mind, at least not negatively. She merely did not further react any longer and silence invaded the room yet again, causing Edenia to be scared to fall asleep now, scared Bellatrix would be gone when she opened her eyes again, scared of whatever the witch had planned and only let Edenia know when it happened, scared of her dreams and scared of life, all that Edenia wanted was to stay like this forever, until it's over, until it begins. With all that fear, she squeezed on Bellatrix's forearm, whimpering inaudible nothings but somethings, and all that the dark witch did was to stare for a while until she raised her eyebrows when Edenia asked a curious question.

"Why..do you hate me so much?" Her croaked voice sounded raspier than ever, tear-drowned eyes searched for Bellatrix's black and calm own.

"I don't hate you dear." She then answered. Edenia felt excited, she wanted Bellatrix to keep talking, it was the only thing that reminded her that this was somewhat real. That she was alive.  
>"But why...did you choose me at Hogwarts? It...it was like...you just wanted to play with me..." Said Edenia.<br>"I don't hate you." Repeated Bellatrix again and glanced into Edenia's eyes deeply. Edenia felt a sudden jolt of happiness and she cuddled against Bellatrix, nuzzling under the witch's chin as silent sniffling slowly died out.

For the first time, she felt squeezed back; Bellatrix wrapped her arm around the girl tightly and pulled her closer.  
>"You won't let me go, right?" Asked Edenia gently, her eyes widened slightly at the mere thought of being all alone with herself.<br>"Right? You...you won't..?" Added Edenia with a shaky voice. Bellatrix inhaled deeply, shook her head and smiled as she pulled the girl against herself again.  
>"No dear. I will never let you go." She responded with the same gentle voice, but her smile turned into a large smirk behind Edenia's back.<p>

She would never let Edenia go.


	20. Warmth

**Chapter 19: Warmth**

It felt warm. All the feelings spread through Edenia's body, giving her chills. The hot water caressed her skin and goosebumps only increased when Bellatrix embraced the girl in the bathtub. Edenia closed her eyes while she rested against the witch peacefully, a soft smile was drawn on her face. She did not flinch or wince anymore when Bellatrix touched her head, no, it felt good. It was like everything she ever looked for was right here. This was where she wanted to be, wanted to stay.

"Bella...?" The girl started. She had to hear the witch's voice. She felt terribly nervous when it was too quiet.

"Hm?" Responded Bellatrix, her dark eyes glued down to Edenia but the girl could not read them. She never could.

"Talk to me..." Said Edenia with a hint of longing and anxiety in her voice. Bellatrix stared at her; her cherry red mouth parted slightly until it was brought to the girl's forehead. Edenia closed her eyes and leaned into the rare but naked contact of those lips; she did not want them to go away. But they eventually did. Edenia looked up to the witch, her eyebrows twitched in disappointment. She wanted Bellatrix to lean down and kiss her once more but she didn't. Edenia feared that Bellatrix would get up now and leave her behind, she was scared that this wasn't real. Her body started to freeze again, the warmth started to fade with the increasing nervousness that intruded her very core. In a couple of seconds everything would be marked as fake, Edenia was sure, things were too good to be true. She glanced up at the witch, started to cling to her a tad more while tears ran down her cheeks. Bellatrix, now aware, looked down at her little pry but she did not leave. Instead, she rubbed the girl's body up and down with the water. At first, Edenia's eyes widened, then softened again. It felt good; beyond measure. It felt warm.

When both women were done taking a bath, Bellatrix got up and moved out of the tub. After dressing up, she held out a towel for Edenia; opening it with her arms and obviously waiting on the girl to walk in. And she did. Edenia smiled while the soft cloth was wrapped around her neatly, a hand laced around her own, and she was pulled away into the bedroom. Bellatrix stopped in front of the large closet, raised her wand and clothes flew out. Not some clothes. Slightly puzzled, Edenia looked at them, her mouth gapped open slightly. They belonged to her.

"My missing clothes..." Said Edenia. Bellatrix raised an eyebrow and a slight grin grew on her lips.

"Mhm." The witch agreed and gazed at the girl. Edenia stared into Bellatrix's eyes again.

"I remember the day I missed my first piece...I thought Pansy stole some of them and burnt them or something...I noticed I was missing a couple of things after the day I packed everything and wanted to leave Hogwarts. Right after Draco slapped me. And you were there, in the common room...and we had a conversation about..."

"Rotten twigs." Finished Bellatrix and nodded, eyes slightly narrowed in delight as she walked closer and rested her index finger on Edenia's chin, forcing it up so she could stare into her eyes deeply.

"And then, as you very well noticed, you fell asleep."

"I fell asleep when...You put something into my tea, didn't you...?You told Pansy to put away my bag...so while I was asleep...you took some of my clothes...and stored them here..." Came Edenia's conclusion.

"Do you have proof for such harsh accusation, Edenia?" Asked Bellatrix with a sudden turn in her voice; it sounded raspier and darker but still yet very amused. She cackled lowly when the girl shook her head in defeat.

"What does it matter now? You are here. I am here..." Cooed the witch.

"You collected the clothes before you knew what was going to happen...before you knew..." Mumbled Edenia but Bellatrix didn't answer. Instead, she pulled the towel away and picked some of the clothes to start dressing up the girl.

"You told me you didn't want me to become one of those rotten twigs...but...you thought I would become one of them anyway...you...put the clothes here...it was all planned!" Continued Edenia absentmindedly as a shirt was now covering her naked skin. Bellatrix pushed the girl down onto the bed and Edenia sat on her bottom, continuing to mumble.

"You knew all along...planned this all along..." She repeated and looked at Bellatrix that was putting a skirt on the girl now, adjusting it as she pulled Edenia back up in such a rush and so forcefully that the girl kept quiet while Bellatrix stared into her eyes deeply, almost in a scolding manner, daring her to say another word.

Silence. Her black orbs widened when suddenly, her cherry red lips felt a pair of others pressed against them.

Edenia could not help her giggles once she saw Bellatrix's dumbfounded face but they switched roles when she was pushed against the wall suddenly, causing her to cough and lose the giggling tone. There was not enough time to catch breath as Bellatrix pulled the girl into a passionate and messy kiss, leaving almost no time to catch air. Edenia made good efforts to keep up with the witch but had to part soon after being too oxygen-deprived. Bellatrix smirked against the girl's lips, her eyes lowered to Edenia in lust but the girl shook her head and hugged to the older witch.

"Just hold me..." She said softly and Bellatrix frowned, did not move her body at all for a couple of seconds but when Edenia searched for her eyes yet again, she pulled her into a dear and warm hug.

"We could've had all of this so much sooner..." Whispered Bellatrix into Edenia's ear while rubbing her hand through the soft hair.

"I...I...know...it's...my fault" Whimpered the girl and started to tighten her grip on Bellatrix desperately while fighting the tears.

"You did a good job, running away from me..." Stated the dark witch and for the first time, Edenia thought she realized something curious.

"I...I wouldn't have run if-"

"I would have given you everything! We could've had everything! We could have had a perfect life! You and I! Here! Rod! The Dark Lord would've been so proud to see how well I'd educate you...it would've been perfect!" The witch raised her voice and all that Edenia could do was to stare. She clung to Bellatrix yet again, scared she worked herself up so badly that she would storm away and leave her behind. Tears streamed down Edenia's face when she thought of that, her grip on Bellatrix tightened yet again. The latter breathed heavily, observed Edenia closely when she spoke.

"But..but you said it yourself..all of it doesn't matter anymore...we..we are here now..you and I..." The words stumbled out of Edenia's mouth; innocently repeating what the witch said previously. Bellatrix kept staring, her narrowed eyes softened and narrowed again, this time, however, in combination with a grin instead of an angry face. She pulled the girl into a tight hug, kissing the side of her head.

"Right, dear." She uttered and asked.

"And you will be a good girl from now on, won't you?"

"Yes!" Edenia spluttered out, causing Bellatrix to laugh in a high pitched voice but it died out in a gentle and amused scoff when Edenia cuddled to Bellatrix.

"But." The girl started and stared up into Bellatrix's eyes again. Seeing a raised eyebrow, she knew that the witch wasn't too impressed hearing about a condition. Edenia knew she was not in the position to make any orders, but she had to do this one.

"Can...can we go out sometime? I'm going crazy here..." Edenia confessed and lowered her head, did not want to see Bellatrix's reaction. She regretted asking it as soon as the words had left her mouth, too sure she was that it would only result in another cynical huff. But it did not come. Stricken with curiosity, Edenia raised her head again, eyes locked. Bellatrix stretched her hand out and Edenia squinted shut her eyes, fearing she'd earn a slap when the hand only caressed her cheek; did not harm her.

"Fine." Said Bellatrix. Edenia's eyes lit up on an instant but her happy face vanished the next second when Bellatrix grabbed her chin roughly, bringing her closer as she whispered against Edenia's bottom lip with almost nothing but sheer venom.

"But if you so much as move an inch too far away from me-"

"I won't!" Squeaked Edenia.

"Don't you interrupt me!" Yelled Bellatrix, tightening the grip around the girl's chin that started to twitch in fear now.

"I'm sorry..." Edenia squeaked and Bellatrix raised her head a bit, narrowed her eyes, but fell back into a normal composure again before she let go of the girl and turned around.

But Edenia did not want her to turn around, did not want to let go of Bellatrix. She leaned forward and hugged the witch from behind, whimpering with her troubled voice.

"Don't walk away...!"

"Oh baby." Cooed Bellatrix and turned around again. She chuckled lowly as she brought the girl closer and kissed her lips dearly. Edenia's tears dried out and she smiled yet again, however, did not let go of the woman.

"We need something to eat. I have to inform Kreacher."

"Let me come with you..."

"It's better you stay here, as fragile as you are...you can barely stand on your feet."

"Then use your wand to inform him...just...just don't go away...!" Pleaded Edenia again and she feared that Bellatrix's patience would soon come to an end. What if she lost her temper in a few seconds? This could result in leaving her behind! The mere thought of it caused Edenia to cling to the witch even more. This again troubled her mind; this could perhaps push Bellatrix away. Thick, very thick droplets of tears started to stream down Edenia's face, and before she could help it at all, she sobbed heart-breakingly. Bellatrix exhaled deeply but pulled the girl into her arms, comforting her while trying to suppress an evil smirk.

"What's the matter baby? Tell me why you are crying right now." Demanded the witch as if she didn't already know.

"I'm scared you will leave me behind again!" Whined Edenia, rubbing her tears away with the back of her hand but Bellatrix grabbed her arm so it came to a halt, and brushed the tears away herself. As if she wanted to feel them.

"But I never left you behind, have I?" Asked Bellatrix and chuckled lowly.

"Ye...s...yes you did...the manor was abandoned...and the collar was gone and...and the food in the fridge was foul...and...-"

"The things the mind can do, hmm?" Interrupted the dark voice in a teasing manner as she brushed some strands of Edenia's hair behind her ear.

"It felt so real..." Whimpered the girl and shook her head in disbelief, lowering her forehead while her face was still contorted in mere stress.

"I'll show you what's real." Said Bellatrix and pulled her into another dear and passionate kiss. It felt warm.

Gentle rubbing through her hair caused Edenia to wake up. The scent of food smelled pleasantly enchanting. Edenia smiled softly when she spotted the dark witch next to her, tending to her head like that; she was about to drift away once more.

"Now don't fall asleep again. I want you to eat something." Scolded Bellatrix, almost at the edge of being angry.

"But what about you?" Frowned Edenia with a voice of worry and sat up.

"Well, I ate something while you were asleep." Explained the witch.

"We never ate together..." Sighed Edenia softly once the tablet sat on her thighs. The food looked incredibly good.

"My favorite dish!" Squeaked Edenia and smiled. "I love gratin potatoes." She added and her mouth felt watery once her tastebuds recognized the cheese.

"I know." Responded Bellatrix and watched the girl with a face that Edenia found difficult to interpret.

"How do you know?" She asked once her mouth was empty. Bellatrix, however, did not feel obliged to answer this question. It was silent until Edenia chimed in with something else.

"I never asked...but is Draco alright? I-"

"He is fine!" Came Bellatrix's voice harshly. Edenia flinched at the sudden sharp tone, but asked no more. Once done, she put the tablet away and cuddled back to Bellatrix again, even though she still felt the coldness.

"You... are not displeased with me, right?" Asked Edenia and her eyes lulled into the black orbs that turned from poisonously enraged to softly attentive. She stretched out her hand and rubbed through the girl's hair yet again, shaking her head.

And It felt warm.


	21. Surprise

**Chapter 20: Surprise**

The question of what was real and what was not didn't matter any longer. Still yet, Edenia knew it must have been weeks that passed yet again. For once, she asked.  
>"Bella? What day is it anyway?"<br>"Sunday, dear."  
>"Sunday what?" She continued asking.<br>"The eleventh of July."  
>"July?!" Gasped the girl at the dinner-table. Bellatrix looked towards her in amusement but she nodded. "Yes. July."<br>"Can we go out today? Just walk around a bit..." Asked Edenia softly and Bellatrix's amused face was replaced with yet another expression that the girl could not interpret.  
>"Not today...We have been out yesterday." Mumbled Bellatrix and rubbed her forehead, eyebrows constricted in what seemed to be annoyance.<br>"But why not, I-" Started Edenia but Bellatrix's hand rushed down the table's surface with a loud thud, angry eyes glared ahead; the scene froze.  
>"I...I don't understand..." Whimpered Edenia. "What did I do wrong?"<br>"How about asking questions you already know the answer?!" Spat the dark witch.  
>"So...you want me to stay here with you forever...while nobody knows that I live?" Asked Edenia but Bellatrix didn't say anything. Unlike Edenia, she did not want to respond to a question that had its answer clear.<br>"Fine...if...if that's what you want." Said the girl with a smile as she got up and walked over to Bellatrix. The witch raised an eyebrow in surprise but grinned slightly when Edenia sat down on her lap and cuddled against her chest. Bellatrix's hand started to rub through her hair, the other arm wrapped around her waist to keep her against her body in a securing way.

"I didn't mean to make you angry..." Said Edenia softly and Bellatrix nodded while responding "I know dear, I know. You will try better, to watch what you say, won't you?"  
>"Yes!" Edenia spluttered out quickly, causing the dark witch to chuckle and press her cherry red lips against the girl's forehead while squeezing her tighter against her body. It was silent until Edenia had more questions in stock.<p>

"Bella...?" Asked Edenia's tiny voice, her eyes appeared to be shy.  
>"Hmm?" Responded Bellatrix in her low as usual manner.<br>"Do I...Do...I meananythingtoyou?" Rushed Edenia, making it difficult to understand but judging by Bellatrix's concentrated and intense gaze, the witch understood very well. She stared into the girl's eyes deeply, absorbing the innocence that greeted her. And answered.

"I always got what I wanted." She said sternly and glanced to the side. Edenia was not sure if that was the answer she has been looking for, however, before she could further ask, Bellatrix added. "And I wanted you."  
>Edenia's eyes lit up again. She smiled brightly as she cuddled down to the witch, as if she said the most beautiful thing on earth. She repeated the words in her mind until her head lowered again and she looked up to Bellatrix with great worry.<br>"Wanted...? Did...did that change?" She asked. Bellatrix stared at her but laughed loudly before she shook her head and pulled Edenia closer against her body, purring. "Of course not..."

Edenia woke up earlier the other day; quite in fact she woke up before Bellatrix. It was the first time that this happened, at least as far as she remembers. She felt so happy about it, to be able to greet Bellatrix and be the very first thing that she sees. She was so happy that she did not know what to do first. She wanted to watch until she was awake but thought this was a bit boring. She wanted to prepare breakfast but feared Bellatrix would wake up meanwhile; making the wall the first thing to see. A slight movement in the bed caused Edenia to decide really quick, and so she jumped back onto the bed and pressed her lips dearly against Bellatrix's.

"Mhhhhm...!" Mumbled the dark witch against Edenia. The girl giggled and drew her face away but gasped when she was pulled back into another kiss. Bellatrix stopped after a couple of seconds, her hands were still cupping Edenia's chin while she observed her closely.  
>"Good morning!" Chirped the girl happily, a bright smile made her features shine. The light switched over to Bellatrix; she mirrored the smile in the same bright way; it was the first sincere and content smile that Edenia has ever seen on the witch's face. It looked beautiful.<p>

"Did you sleep well?" Asked Edenia. "Had any dreams?"  
>"Yes, I did rest well. And..hmm...I did have a dream, too..." She grinend and pulled Edenia closer, kissing the side of her neck while she asked. "Want to know what it was about...?"<br>Edenia blushed. She could clearly feel Bellatrix's curves on her body. The thin nightgown of hers caused goosebumps to rise. Bellatrix seemed surprised but grinned, stared down to Edenia's breasts when she felt a pair of stiff nipples against her own.  
>"I'll take this...as a yes..." She cooed and bit her bottom lip, not taking her eyes off of the girl. Edenia felt herself grow as red as Bellatrix's nightgown, she felt shy and insecure, yet full of energy, full of a will to dare and tease the witch. With this idea, she closed her legs tightly when she felt that Bellatrix was so excited that her hands tried to spread them and watched the witch's mouth gapping open.<br>"A little daring, aren't you, young lady...?" Asked Bellatrix, the corner of her mouth twtiched up. Edenia snickered but she leaned up and answered. "Is there something you could do about it?"  
>"Hah!" Laughed Bellatrix. Her laugh vanished the other second when she forced Edenia onto her back again with a sudden push. She leaned down the very same moment and whispered, her hot breath tickled the girl's neck when the vibrating words hit her ears. "Why don't you find out..." And when Bellatrix said the last word, her hands reached to Edenia's legs once more, harshly spreading them back open again. Edenia let out a small gasp, she was surprised Bellatrix had so much power. But she had more power over the girl, more than she was aware of.<br>More than Edenia was aware of.

Moaning and panting echoed throughout the manor. Bellatrix was a passionate lover and indeed, she always got what she wanted. She didn't get it once. She didn't get it twice. Edenia stopped counting after the third orgasm, she didn't care. All she wanted was the witch; all to herself.

"Nghh...yeah..harder...ahh! Right there, right there!" Moaned Edenia, clinging onto the blanket, letting it go, clinging again, letting it go, grabbing the dark curly hair, letting it go but kept her head pressed against herself when her eyes widened yet again.  
>"Ahhhhh!" She moaned, her torso raised up a little bit, she pressed Bellatrix's busy tongue further into her heat, keeping her in place; that was the spot. Her mouth gapped open, no sound came out, something moved closer, the bubble inside her grew larger, the breathing became shorter - until she felt released.<br>"Oohhhh!" She groaned and fell back into the pillows, panting heavily. The witch grinned brightly as she kissed up Edenia's body and brushed a couple of strands of hair behind the girl's ear while staring into her eyes with nothing but satisfaction.

"Bella?" Asked Edenia a couple of moments later.  
>"Hmm?" Responded the witch as she squeezed Edenia tightly to herself.<br>"You will never let me go, right?" Edenia's eyes searched for Bellatrix's.  
>"Never." Said the woman, eyes looking back. She could not have been more sincere. Both of them suddenly flinched, a knock on the door caused Bellatrix to press Edenia against her body protectively.<br>"What is it?!"  
>"A visitor is here, Madam. Kreacher came to inform Miss Bellatrix."<br>"A visitor?! Who is it? Did I not tell you to send strangers away?!"  
>"But it is no stranger, Miss Bellatrix."<br>"Who... tsk! I'm coming."  
>"What, again?" Grinned Edenia and chuckled lowly when Bella pushed the girl's head away.<br>"You naughty thing you. Just wait until I get back here..." Commented the witch while she got dressed and walked off. Edenia inhaled deeply and decided to get dressed too. Once done, she smiled softly and rested back onto the bed, staring up to the ceiling. Until it was suddenly black. Edenia began to scream and tried to wiggle free from the dark cloth that was draped over her body. The screaming became less and the darkness replaced itself with nothingness. She fainted.

"Hey. Are you awake?" Asked a strange, yet familiar voice.  
>"Hmm...my head..." Said Edenia as she looked around hastily. Her body was in motion. But she did not move it. Somebody carried her. Bellatrix? No! It was not a dream! She was not at home anymore. Her head spun around, eyes fixed on a pale blond male.<br>"Draco?! You...!"  
>"I finally found you! I should have known you weren't dead! Forgive me! We will have time to talk, later" He exclaimed and came to a halt, hugging her tightly, but feeling her body caused him to comment.<br>"You lost too much weight...You are barely alive...I am so sorry. She must have tortured you the whole time..."  
>"How...how did you know I was there?!"<br>"Kreacher told me...when I asked where Bellatrix was, he said you were up with her...So I told Kreacher to go and get Bella...while he walked upstairs...I apparated there and got you out...wasn't easy, lucky timing. Sorry about the spell, it was just easier to carry you that way. Don't worry. I know where to bring you."

"What are you doing?! Where are we going? Let me down! What are you doing!" Whispered Edenia as she looked up into his blue eyes, not able to stress her point correctly.

"Rescuing you of course! Mother told me to check if Bellatrix was okay because nobody has seen her for some time. That was the reason why I came for a visit in the first place. Lucky I did. " Came Draco's voice as he adjusted her to a position that made it easier to carry her.

"Rescuing me?! No! Let me go! Draco?! What are you doing? No! I don't want to leave!"

"What?!" Asked Draco with a frown. "Are you out of your mind?! She must've done something to your-"

"Take me back!"

"Shhh! Stop contradicting me for once! I know she tortured you, I know it. I know where you can be safe. Don't worry." Said the blonde calmly; he didn't even listen to Edenia at all. Did he not hear her? She wanted to stay.

"LET ME GO!" She now yelled in fury, kicking and screaming wildly. "Let me go, let me go!" She continued to plead but it was too late. They apparated away. 

"Where are we?" Asked Edenia as she looked around, tears welled up in her eyes.  
>"Take me back, Draco! I want to go back, please!"<br>"She has been hurting you! Look at you, Edenia! Look at you!" He hissed and clung to her arms, holding them in place while he stared into her eyes as if to talk sense into her. Edenia glanced to the wounds and small scars on her skin but did not understand what the fussing was about. So what if Bellatrix was rough? So what if Bellatrix had her very special way to show affection? Draco would never be able to understand. Nobody would.

"Take me back right now!" She yelled again but Draco merely pulled her along; away from the alleyway they've been standing in. He kept on leading her through the crowded place while Edenia took a look at the buildings and people; she now knew that they were in the muggle world.

"No! No! I don't want to stay here! Take me back! I want to go back to Bellatrix!" She yelled and people frowned widely as they passed and heard the girl screaming and trying to stop but Draco growled lowly and wrapped his arm around her shoulder firmly, almost painfully, and proceeded walking. He took quick turns and came to a halt in front of a very, very tall apartment.

"Who lives here?!" Demanded Edenia, not able to understand where Draco wanted to bring her. She has never seen this place before.

"You will see." Responded the blonde as he walked inside. Shrill white walls greeted them, causing Edenia to squint shut her eyes. It was painful; Lestrange manor was so much more appealing and pleasant. The darkness never hurt her eyes. Draco pushed her into an elevator and pressed a button with the digit of sixteen on it and it started to move.

Edenia remained quiet but deep inside, the nervousness increased. Bella. She wanted to go back to Bella must be so worried right now! Feeling more nauseated when the elevator lifted up to the chosen floor and stopped abruptly, Edenia tumbled ahead but Draco caught her and pulled her along over to a heavy looking silver door. It opened.


	22. Return

**Chapter 21: Return**

Edenia could feel no more. The door opened but for Edenia it felt like it closed.

"Nia..." Smiled Alex gently and pulled her in with a hug. Draco walked around them into the apartment, closed the door and nodded at a man and a woman standing in the back.  
>"I finally found her..." He said to them.<br>"Well done." Spoke Tyle and Emily nodded, wiping away some tears when she saw that Edenia did not respond to the hug.  
>"Nia...your arms...your body...!" She squealed in fear and worry but she added hastily.<br>"Let me tend to your wounds, come here, come..." She tried to bring her closer as Alex let her go from the tight embrace, rubbing her shoulder as he pushed her towards Emily in a very gentle way. But Edenia stared ahead blankly. She did not budge; the atmosphere started to grow darker, heartbeats seemed to become loud. Edenia shivered, her chest heaved up and down, she breathed like an animal.  
>"Bring. Me. Back. Right. Now." She demanded and her gaze hit Draco; Emily gasped and her hands rushed to her mouth to hide the shock; Edenia's eyes appeared ready to kill.<p>

"I SAID TAKE ME BACK RIGHT NOW! TAKE ME BACK! I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE WITH THEM! I WON'T! I WANT TO GO BACK! I WANT TO GO BACK TO BELLATRIX!" It burst out of Edenia and she rushed towards Draco and grabbed him around the collar firmly with such strength and power that the guys had trouble prying her off of the blonde male.

"She's out of her mind..." Sobbed Emily while Alex and Tyle tried to hold their friend back from dashing out of the door; Edenia tried.

"I...I am nothing without her! Let me go! LET ME GO! I LOVE HER! YES I DO! I WANT TO BE WITH HER! LET ME GO!"

Draco shook his head and watched Alex as he forced Edenia down to the floor with her arms pinned to her sides as she wailed hysterically. Emily, unable to take this, cried against Draco's shoulder, her thin mouth twitched in attempts to say something but nothing came out as words. "Nia..." Spoke Tyle softly out of a sudden. He rubbed through her hair but Edenia pulled her face away. "Only she is allowed to do that! Only Bellatrix!" She yelled furiously and Tyle's eyes met Alex's. Both of them had a nonverbal conversation, Draco could clearly tell while he failed trying to calm down the heartbroken Emily next to him. "Quick, Emily! Get some medication or whatever! You're a nurse!" "Yes...!" She wiped away her tears and walked off only to come back moments later. She knelt down, pulled out a needle and some strange liquid and gave the screaming Edenia an injection that soon calmed her down to the point of drifting sway to a dreamy wonderland.

Candles lit up in the living room. The four of them sat around the sleeping figure on the couch, staring. Nobody spoke for a while, until Alex shook his head again.  
>"How can she say she loves her..."<br>"I've heard of that syndrome once...Oslo? No...Sweden? Nah...something like that...I've been reading about it during my exam preparations...sometimes people fall in love with their tormentor...well, it's not true love what they feel for them, they just believe they love them to forgive whatever happened...or will happen."  
>"Makes sense..." Stated Tyle but Alex shook his head again, glaring. He did not speak for once. Draco, however, bit his bottom lip in anger.<br>"What the hell made your aunt so evil?!" Hissed Emily at Draco as if it was his fault. Before he could answer, Tyle interrupted.  
>"Nothing could ever justify what she did to Nia...let's not spend our lifetime talking about that person."<br>"Yes, let's not spend our time...talking...about that person..." Added Alex with a strange hint in the middle of his sentence, he kept glaring ahead at Edenia, thinking. His eyes closed for a couple of seconds and Draco threw his head back.  
>"It's all my fault...I should've taken care of her during the battle...I shouldn't have let her out of eyesight..."<br>"Why have you, then?!" Hissed Alex.  
>"I sent her into the forbidden forest-"<br>"Yeah that's a place to send someone!" hissed Alex again.  
>"Hear me out! I sent her there because all the dangerous creatures were not in the forest at that time. They were all out, participating in the battle. That's why it was the only safe place, I thought...she probably ran out of the forest again...I don't know how Bellatrix got her but I have not seen my aunt ever since that day...I believe she has been keeping Edenia since then..."<br>"But why! Why did she keep Edenia?! Why?!" Whimpered Emily.

"Because she loves me..." Came another voice. Everyone's heads turned to the direction. They saw Edenia's eyes open, she stared up to the ceiling. Nobody knows for how long she listened.

"Nia..." Said Emily softly but Alex interrupted her.  
>"She does not love you! She wants to destroy you! That's all she wants! Because her life is a mess!" he added.<p>

"Not true!" Barked Edenia and turned around to Alex. "It was a mess until she met me!" "Nia...!" Emily pleaded and her eyes got all teary again. She shook her head and tried to speak but couldn't.

"You will never understand..." Added Edenia as she sat up.  
>"There's nothing to understand! You will stay here young lady! Enough!" Yelled Alex.<br>"Alex..." Interrupted Tyle and forced him back down onto the couch when Alex rushed up in anger, pointing at Edenia with his index finger in an angry, disciplining manner. But Edenia just laughed.

"She will come here...I warned you though..." She said and lay back down. Everyone looked at Draco then, Edenia hit a point, an interesting question occured now that she mentioned it.  
>"She cannot know Nia is here, right?" Asked Tyle but Draco paused a little.<br>"I can't think of any way possible..." He answered but was interrupted.  
>"Well, but what if <em>she <em>can!" Growled Alex, rolling his eyes and resting his head back again only to move up to the table and grabbing a cigarette that he lit up in stress.

"Sweetie. Nia, wake up. You need to eat something. I made you a rice soup. You like that, don't you? Heh. Are you up?" Whispered Emily into Edenia's ear. The girl opened her eyes and looked around, spotted the soup in Emily's hands but shook her head.  
>"I don't want anything from you...you can't even give me the one thing I want..."<br>"Nia please! We are friends-"  
>"We are no friends!" Emily's eyes widened. Tears welled up in her eyes but she took it bravely. She dived the spoon into the bowl, pulled it up and held it to Edenia's mouth with a smile.<br>"Open your mouth..." She said after a couple of seconds in which nothing happened. Edenia glared and Emily gasped when the next second, out of nowhere, the bowl split in two, as if something hit it with an invisible knife; it simply cracked and all the hot liquid poured out, almost burning her lap. She got up, collected the porcelain while wiping away some tears when the guys ran into the living room.  
>"What happened?!" Demanded Alex and looked towards Emily and Edenia, back and forth. "The bowl broke suddenly...I guess the soup was too hot for the porcelain..." Said Emily while mopping the floor but that's when Draco's and Edenia's eyes met. Edenia might have been stripped off of her wand, but not off of her magical abilities. Magic will always find a way. And it did.<p>

As the night broke into the day, a storm growled outside. Edenia still lay on the couch, not moving, not talking. "Nia, are you alright?" Asked Tyle, slightly bending down to her level. She did not even grand him a single glance, treated him as though he did not exist. That's what they thought she did. Quite in fact, Edenia could not talk. She could not move. She could do nothing without Bellatrix. She was nothing without Bellatrix.

"Nia!" Yelled Alex suddenly, causing the girl to at least avert her glance to him. He rushed up to her, past Tyle and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her severely while she whimpered.  
>"TALK TO US!" He growled but before anything else could happen, Tyle pulled him away from Edenia that slumped back into the couch with eyes wide open but no response other than that. "Alex!" Barked Emily when she walked inside the room, obviously alerted by the noise. Draco followed, however, remained quiet.<br>"Somebody has to talk sense into her!" Grumbled Alex and sat down on a chair, crossing his arms. "That's not the way to do it." Responded Tyle as he glanced at Edenia who closed her eyes again after she cuddled down and merely turned her back on them, blocking any attempts for a conversation.

"See! That's exactly what I mean!" Rushed Alex once more, pointing the flat of his hand at Edenia to expose her behavior, but Emily squeezed the shirt-part on his shoulder, rustling on it while saying repeatedly.  
>"Stop it! Stop it Alex! You're making it all worse!"<br>"Can't get worse than that!" He hissed and pulled his shoulder away. Draco's eyes wandered out of the window at that moment and he could not shake off the feeling that Alex was horribly mistaking about that statement. Inhaling deeply, he walked over to the couch and sat down. A glance to the rest told everyone that he wanted to be alone with Edenia. They let her.  
>"Hey..."<br>No response.  
>"I don't understand it. What is it...with you and my aunt."<br>"You'd never understand!" Hissed Edenia and Draco frowned widely but he shook his head.  
>"No...you don't understand. She has been like that since Hogwarts. I just don't understand why my aunt is so...focused on you."<br>Edenia looked at him but she turned her face away, stared out of the window, then back to him. "I don't know! But what does it matter? She wants me and-"  
>"Edenia! My aunt is not a person to mess with! Alex was right about that one bit...she wanted you to destroy you!"<br>"You're lying! Everyone of you!" She barked and gestured wildly in her anger but Draco caught her fingers and held them tightly in his hands, pulling her closer to stare into her eyes.  
>"I've known her a bit longer than you. She must've...given you a very strong love potion or used the Imp-"<br>"She did none of that!" Cried out Edenia again, trying to rip free from the blonde but he did not let go.  
>"There is a plan behind all her actions! She doesn't simply choose a random Slytherin for no good reason!" Growled Draco in frustration, not able to stress his point, it seemed, which resulted in squeezing Edenia's hand a bit tighter.<br>"So what if she had her reasons!" Yelped Edenia.  
>"You know about them?!"<br>"What if I do?!"  
>"For Merlin's sake... We should've been sticking to my plan. You wouldn't be in that situation now..."<br>"Voldemort is dead. There is no reason to act ambitious in front of anyone anymore. No reason to marry me to show your devotion to his ideals...He's not there to reward you and your family..."  
>Draco sighed gently when Edenia said that, shook his head and looked out of the window, nose slightly snarled up in what the girl determined to be sheer hatred.<br>"...Tsk...How silly are you..." He grumled and bit his bottom lip, squeezing her hand tighter yet again. She winced at the feeling, tried to pull back but he seized her by her arms, holding her frame controllingly to his eye-level, repeating. "How silly are you?!"  
>"What do you want?" She whimpered, suppressing the tears of pain that came with his firm grasp. He paused but did not take his eyes away from her own. Another snarl errupted from his throat when he commented. "You! That is what I want! The whole time! I told you that...that..." He inhaled deeply but shook his head. "When we departed. The night...before the attack at Hogwarts..."<br>Edenia stared at him, not sure what he was trying to explain.  
>"Do you not remember...I whispered into your ear...I told you. I told you that...that I love you!" His voice raised a tiny bit in frustration.<br>"I thought you said that as a friend...because we helped you." She stated and stared into his eyes. He shook his head and bit his bottom lip.  
>"I thought you were dead...I thought you died because I didn't take care of you...I..." He swallowed his words, suppressing something that Edenia thought could be a tear drowned voice.<br>"I thought it was all my fault...we have been looking for your body...nobody found it...We found Blaise so...I thought that maybe some...creatures in the forest might've...I thought I lost you!" He rushed and tried to rub a hand through her hair but Edenia pulled her head away.  
>"Let me help you." He said softly and pulled her yet a bit closer, trying to hug her but she tried fighting it.<br>"I don't need help...I miss her. I miss Bellatrix...Let me go back...please!" She whimpered, nostrils flaring in sadness, her chin and bottom lip wiggled in attempts to keep calm but she failed miserably.  
>"That's crazy, just crazy! What happened to you? What have you become! Where is the tough Slytherin that turned her back on the ideals of blood purity, on...on basically everything! It felt...so relaxing when I looked into your eyes and knew that you understand what it means to live under that pressure of being someone you don't want to be. Yes, I was a coward! I was scared, I was too involved in those things...I couldn't fight it but I knew that...I had to adore you for your will to do the right thing...to be a better person! You inspired me! Where have you gone?!" He yelled the last question, causing Edenia's eyes to shoot wide open when he held her face in his hands, drawing himself yet a bit closer. He rested his forehead against hers desperately, still clinging to her face, slight sniffling was audible from his side Edenia felt his shaking hands against her.<br>"I changed-" She started to explain.  
>"But Bellatrix will never change." He hissed bitterly, shaking his head. "She will never."<br>"I changed her!"  
>"An illusion!"<br>"I did!" She cried out but that's when Alex walked into the living room, glancing at Draco who withdrew from Edenia and exhaled deeply, eyes staring away from her in distress before he got up and off.

"Not you, now. You cannot persuade me! I will not-" But Alex merely sat down on the couch. He gazed into her eyes, Edenia mirrored the action, before he showed her something that has been in his hands but she only noticed it now. A picture. A known scenery, yes, they were camping that day. The friends sat around a fire and everything seemed so easy.  
>"The marshmallows were so disgusting. I have no idea why Emily thought they tasted good. And it rained that night. And Tyle snored so loudly, I hated the fact that I had to share a tent with him. Not to mention the coldness of the night. And your constant whining about how a wolf was going to eat us all up. I'll just scrap my additional stories about a killer in the woods that caused Emily to cry. Overall, everything went wrong. But it was the best day ever." He then smiled, his stern voice turned soft. He held out the picture to the now completely silent Edenia, her eyes stared at the glossy memory. With eyes filled with tears, she reached out a hand to grab it but the light flickering in the living room caused her to pull her hand away again, the storm outside ramped and raged dangerously. Emily and the rest rushed into the living room, everybody surprised about what was going on outside, they had not seen such a fierce weather in years. And suddenly, the world stood still.<p>

Everything was quiet when Edenia sat up on the couch and stared out of the starry night sky; the large window let in so much moonlight that her face was covered in an enchanting glow. She closed her eyes, her face turned to the side, her hand reached to the collar on her neck and pulled away quickly, a smile spread on her face.  
>"She found me..." Edenia declared quietly and everyone's eyes widened when, out of nowhere it seemed, Bellatrix Lestrange apparated into the loft's living room; the shrill glow from the moon was overshadowed by her dark and dangerous aura.<p> 


End file.
